Kamikakushi : Miko no Kioku
by Shimotsuki no Miko
Summary: In a World she has no memory of, Chihiro rediscovers the wonders of the Spirit World after four years. But peaceful days never last forever: A dark force is already at work in the shadows. Chihiro will have to fight for what has been stolen from her, sealed away, her destiny and struggle with the feelings for a Dragon... CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN!
1. Prologue

**A/N: Right, I've finally decided to re-write this story, because I was not at all happy how it was unfolding. It'll probaly take some time to edit the rest of the chapters, so I apologize before if the story's flow is ruined by the slow editing. Sorry!**

* * *

Prologue

I sigh, staring blankly at the desk before me. _My_ desk, to be precise. Nothing special; a simple square desk of the colour of warm brown and which is usually strewn all over with papers, pens and other stuff which usually beglong to a desk. Untidy, if you want a more fitting word.

But not today. Today, I managed to tidy up a bit and, even though there are still a few piles of papers stacked perilously at the edge of it, it seems deam and appropriate to be called tieded.

Before me, there's a good number of blank writing paper, a few pencils and a rubber, all itching to start to be used.

I blink once more, silently admiring the tools before me. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if I have never seen a pencil or writing paper in my life. And no, I'm not really _admiring_ them.

I'm just savouring the feeling that I've finally managed to have some time for myself. It might sound absurd to you, but believe it or not, it's not that simple to get some free time when you have a river spirit as a husband and a set of twins to bring up.

I look around my shoulder, just to be sure no one's there. Haku left early this morning, as he has to make a day trip to the Spirit World for usual business (lucky him!), and isn't due to return in the evening. As for the girls, they are soundly sleeping in the room next to the office.

My eyes slide to the wall and onto the round clock hanging there. Three o'clock dot.

I grin as the realization that I have an entire afternoon to myself, finally sinks in. People don't say 'Time is gold' for nothing, and I agree whole heartedly.

Now, I have a lovely afternoon to spend with just me and my writing.

I've always wanted to write. And by writing, I don't just mean writing novels and fiction, like I normally do as a job. I mean writing down the adventures me and Haku had until now. Because, to be frank, we've been though so much that a quick recounting of the story won't just do, if not impossible.

So since we settled here, at the Nigihayami shrine, I began playing around with this idea, which eventually became a project, and a damn big one too.

I tentatively reach out for the pencil. How strange. Sitting before blank paper with a pen in hand is what I normally do, unless you count those rare occasions when I write with my laptop, so why does it feel so strange now? I should be used to it.

But I cut down all train of thoughts. Stop messing around! Who cares how it feels; just get on writing or you won't ever get to start!

I take a deep sigh, close my eyes for a moment, then move my hand onto the paper. But just when the tip of my pencil touches the white surface, I stop, suddenly all rigid.

Where to start?

A shaky laugh escapes me. Have I even forgotten one of the most important rules of writing? Always _plan_ before writing even a sentence. _Think, Chihiro, think_.

The pencil starts to spin, first slowly, then taking a steady pace as my fingers twirl it around and around, just like my mind is spining as I think. Where should I begin...?

I guess you know about half of my childhood, as that mastermind of a director so kindly made a film out of my precious childhood. Honestly, talk about copyright infringement and privacy!

So, my first trip to the Spirit World is already dealt with. Good.

The curtains, as well as my hair sway as a soft breeze blows in from the open window just to my left, bringing in few more of sakura petals onto the windowsil.

Sakura. Come to think of, everything started on a breezy spring day like this...

My lips bend into a small smile as, without any further thinking, I bend over the paper and start to write.

* * *

**Hope this made a better beginning as a start! The last one was a bit of stand out from the story and I admit, I bit too melodramatic!^^**


	2. Chapter 1: Fumin na Yoru to aru Ryu no E

**A/N: Second chapter is up!^^ Hope you like it! (Yep, this chappie was edited around 20/01/13. Just to let you know)**

**Translation Notes:  
****Hayaku orite kinasai! Chikoku suru wa yo!: Hurry up and come down! You're going to be late!  
****Ha~i!: Ye~es!  
****Ohayou: 'Morning  
****Okaa-san: Mum  
****Bento: the classic (and famous) japanese lunch students bring with them from home  
****Ki wo tsukete!: here: have a nice day!****  
****Naginata: japanese pole arm, similar to the european glaive**

* * *

Chapter 1: Fumin na Yoru, Zutsuu to aru Ryu no E ~ Of Sleepless Nights, Headaches and a Drawing of a Dragon

The alarm clock sounded shrilly, wrenching me out of my sleep. I jolted upwards, the covers of my bed flying as I literally made a jump towards my bedside table where the clock was currently making the racket.

I flung out a hand and delt the clock a nice blow, effetively killing the alarm. A mute silence, filled the room, as well as my ears, once again. I groaned as I slumped back on my matress, groggy with sleep.

I opened one bleary eye and stared out into the ceiling of my room. Soon I put a hand on my eyes so that I could shut out that blinding morning light which was filtering through the curtains.

_And yet another sleepless night..._

This was the fourth time in a row I had slept badly, and it wasn't because of some stupid nightmare, or even a dream, because I haven't even had one. I'd toss and turn for hours on end, and when I finally lay still, I'd only find the comfort of a light, restless sleep. Then, during the early hours of the morning, I'd suddenly plumet into a deeper sleep.

_Why?_ I frowned, my ming still a bit fuzzy. _What's the matter with me?_

The only answer was the silence, then my mum's voice as she called out from the kitchen downstairs.

"Chihiro! _Hayaku orite kinasai! Chikoku suru wa yo_!"

Heaving a deep sigh, I got up reluctantly from my bed, mumbling a "_Ha~i_!" and began to pull on my school uniform.

My motivation to go to school was less than zero.

* * *

"_Ohayou_..." I mumbled as I came into the kitchen, fully dressed in the standard sailor uniform, my hair tied up in the usual pony tail.

I found Mum over at the sink and Dad sitting at the table, drinking his cofee and reading the newspaper.

"Morning." He simply said and looked over the paper to give me a smile, but which quickly faded away as he saw the state I was in. "What's the matter, Chihiro? You look quite abashed!"

I nodded. I could just immagine how they saw me, having not slept for four nights in a row.

"Didn't sleep well..." I said, taking a seat opposite Dad.

I began to help myself to toast and a foaming cup of cocoa, discovering that I had a ravenous hunger. I was able to shut eveything out, turning my whole attention to the food.

"Again?" Mum's voice sounded from behind, accompanied by the tingling of plates and dishes.

The tingling stopped, meaning that she had turned towards me. I heared the soft sound of slippered footsteps and then felt the cool touch of Mum's hand on my forehead.

"_Okaa-san_!" I cried out in protest, instinctively dodging away from her hand. "I'm not a kid anymore!"

"I was just checking!" Mum returned, concern entering her usually bright face. "Chihiro, isn't it better if you go to the doctor? It's already the fourth time you're not sleeping well, isn't it?"

But I wasn't listening. Having finished my breakfast, I had got up and was currently stuffing the _bento_ Mum had already prepared for me into my schoolbag.

"I'm going to be late!" I called as I ran through the entrance hall. "See you!"

Mum stuck her head out of the kitchen door.

"_Ki wo tuskete_!" she called after me. "And remember to go to the doctor's!"

And before the door banged shut, I distinctly heared Dad asking something to her, but I soon was well out of ear-shot to catch his words.

* * *

"Saehara Kanami-san has gone missing!?" A group of girls cried in chorus, thunderstruck.

The girl who had been telling the story, pressed a finger to her lips to quieten them down. She turned quickly around to see if anybody else was lissening, then turned again to her peer group.

"She's been missing for already for four days." she went on, dropping her voice to a whisper, yet still audiable. "And no one knows where she's gone! They've been searching all over the neighboured and soon they'll be searching the entire prefecture... They say she has been spirited away..."

My hand stopped in mid sketch as I heard the word 'spiriting away', bringing me back onto firm earth. Until now, I had been doodling over my notebook, listening quietly to the unimportant chatterings around my while I entered my usual state of 'trance', during which my hand would move freely over the paper and draw something.

And now, along that word, the name rang a bell in my mind. Saehara Kanami. Saehara... Saehara... I searched my memory, sure that I had heared it somewhere.

Then it hit me. Saehara Kanami, of course! She was one of the ace competitors in the karuta club of our school... and come to think, I think I saw her once in passing... _She_ has been spirited away?

I made to turn around, to get more information from the girls, but just then, the sketch on which I had been doodling over just moments before, caught my attention. And then I stared.

Because, right before me, was a pencil-drawn dragon.

I blinked.

The dragon was one of those typical Ryus, or chinese dragons, with a serpent-like body, the snout and head of what strongly resembled a wolf and a set of horns sprouting from it's head, it's feelers wavering around it.

I blinked again, staring at the exquisite details of it's scales, each carefully drawn, as was it's mane running throughout it's whole spine, from horned head to the end of it's tail.

I frowned at my doodle, or rather, my drawing. I had never seen such a dragon, whether painting or statue, so how come I had drawn it so well? And gathering by the fine, minute details clinging onto the dragon with so much delicacy, it really gave the impression that this dragon had come out, not from some ancient folk-tale, but from reality, so detailed and _real_ it seemed. But I was sure I had never, ever set eyes upon such a dragon. Never.

My eyes skimmed the drawing again for the third time. And as they met the dragon's eyes, fierce and frighting, yet even so straight, truthful and protective, my heart made a jolt. The pencil I had been holding seconds before, cluttered down onto my desk as my hand flew to clutch my head, an incredible pain starting to throb throughout my head.

I gritted my, pressing my eyes shut, a small groan escaping me.

Next second, I heared a voice behind me asking, "Chihiro, are you all right?"

Hazuki. My friend and neighbour, both in school as well as at home. She was now leaning backwards onto her desk, right behind my own one, and was currently giving me the Chihiro-I-don't-think-you're-well-look, which, admittedly, was quite uncharacteristic of her. Was I looking _so_ unwell?

For a fraction of a second, I felt a tinge of annoyance towards her. Come on guys, I just had another bad night! No nead to give me that look! But luckily, I managed to get myself undercontroll.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's just a headache. Don't worry!"

Hazuki didn't seem too convinced. Even though her expression returned to the normal bright one, the troubled light didn't leave her light brown eyes.

"All right..." she said slightly uncertainly. "But Chihiro... I think you should go home today; you look as though you haven't slept for days!"

I felt the grimness leave my face as the pain in my temple slowly began to withdraw. Again, I nodded.

"Yeah well, I had another sleepless night..." I said, in a slight weak voice. Next moment, I regretted answering her.

"Again?" Hazuki asked, her worried look increasing again in her features. "Chihiro-"

"Look, I'm fine." I cut her off, getting slightly impatient. Why were they all over-reacting for just some sleepless nights and a simple headache!? And why am I always so honest with them!?

"Seriously. I'm perfectly all right." I insisted, seeing the sceptical look of my friend looking pointedly at me.

In the end, Hazuki gave in.

"If you say so, Chii..." She said in a sigh. "But I still think you should rest. At least skip your naginata club..."

I paused, thinking this over. It sounded sensible in every possible way. But I shook my head.

"No, I'm staying." I said firmly. "I really can't afford to miss my naginata classed: I've got the tournament in four weeks time!"

And despite all urges to lie so that Hazuki's concern wouldn't grow, I wasn't lying when I said that. The tournament was frighteningly close and I badly neaded all practicing I could get.

"All right, suit yourself." she said in resignment, but there wasn't really any venom in her words. "I was just trying to help you!"

This time, I genuiely smiled. "I know," I said softly. "Thanks."

Hazuki smiled back, but her worried look never faded away until the end of the day.


	3. Chapter 2: Ryu no Shonen to Inugami

**A/N: Third chapter is up!^^ Sorry it took me a little while, but I needed to sort somethings out... Now let's see how Chihiro and Haku will meet... Enjoy!^^**

**Translation Notes:  
****Shibainu: a small dog naitive to the island of Shikoku.  
****Inugami: dog spirit. Usally called up as a spirit servant in the form of a dog.  
****Koi!: Come, in a challenging way **

* * *

Chapter 2: Ryu no Shonen to Inugami ~ The Dragon Boy and the Dog Spirits

A slight breeze blew in over the hill road leading up to the small neighbourhood in which I lived, making sakura petals rain down on me, though they did not succeed into pulling me out of my deep thoughts.

I had changed into my usual school uniform and apart from my schoolbag, I was also carrying my practicing naginata, neatly folded into it's dark blue folder. The training sessions of that day had been one of the lousiest I had ever experienced: I had practiced badly enough, had barely listened to what the sensei had told us and the entire time, I had felt as if somebody was watching me...

And this wasn't even the beginning. I had no idea why, but from the moment I had set my eyes on that drawing, I had suddenly felt myself become so... so distant and discontected from the world around me.

I'd already caught myself staring emptily somewhere on a few occasions this morning, and then come back to myself with the feeling that something had gone deeply wrong. As if something so troubling had happened that made me wonder if I fit in into this world.

I suddenly felt as if all the others around me, everything actually, looked down on me and said: "You're not one of us. You're different. You don't belong here.", even though they appear and act as they've always done.

_Them_. The teachers, my school- and classmates, the local people, even Hazuki and my own parents... No, they weren't out of place. It was me.

I've always been a dreamy one, right from when I was small kid. Living in my own little world full of immaginary beings, fantasies and dreams. I'd play alone, sometimes Risa, my closest friend in my old town, would join in, and we'd play around and invent little fantasy games, the sorts all kids play when they're young.

But then we moved away, and came here to this Tochinoki area. Dad's business. The usual.

But changing school finally opened my eyes and I soon started to see that the others, escpecially other girls, weren't really like me. Sure, they still played and stuff, but their games grew nearer to reality with every passing year, until, in middle school, I realized that I was the only one still dreaming.

All other girls were then striving to get themselves cute and beautiful, so that they could catch some boy's eyes.

Left behind, I turned to put my fantasy worlds down on paper, and soon words and drawings became my only friends.

It was then that Ueno Hazuki approached me, one ordinary break time like every day. She too had newly moved to Tochinoki, only one year later. And even though it was her birth place, she soon told me that she felt enstranged from the place as I was.

There was some strange and invisable something that bonded the two of us: Me, a dreamer living in her own perfect fantasy world, and she, returned to her so enstranged birthplace. Two strangers to the small community.

It seemed only natural that we became friends, and it didn't take me long to discover that Hazuki was even the new neighbour of which my neighbourhood had talked about for weeks.

One, two, three years had passed since then and, looking back, I realized one thing; Even Hazuki had changed. Not in a negative way, obviously, but I couldn't say positive either. There was something about her now, which I couldn't quite put my finger on, that made me feel left behind.

And anyway, what was with that dragon I had drawn? I still didn't get why it even _bothered_ me about a simple sketch... But the way I had drawn it, those details, that each and every pencil stroke that gave that dragon so much life... It couldn't have been just a coincidence that I had that headache attack when I looked into it's eyes, could it...?

It. _Him_...

I stopped dead in my tracks. What did I just think?!

My eyes started to stare emptily into space as they widened in confusement. Why? Just why did I feel so confused, all of a sudden? Why did all these questions come up so suddenly...?!

And before I knew it, tears started to sting in my eyes. _'Why do I feel as if I have forgotten something important...?!'_

But instead, something else answered me, tearing me out of my train of thoughts:

A rippling growl from behind.

I spun around, my hair whirling behind me like a brown curtain. And then blinked.

A dog was sitting upright, just below that big old tree and that half torn torii at that small side-street entrance.

I sighed in relief, realizing just how much tense I had been mere seconds before. Idiot, what are you becoming so tense at!

I smiled wryly to myself, then quickly changed it into a more gentler one as I approached the dog.

"Yo!" I called to it, raising a hand. "What are you doing here, all alone? Have you become lost?"

I bent on my knees, examining the dog: It was quite big for a shibainu, reaching my waist; it's fur was completely black and it had unsually dark eyes.

"You don't have a collar; are you a stray dog?" I asked again and reached out a hand to caress it's head.

The dog jerked it's head away, baring it's teeth in a quite menacing way, hackles raised. '_Even the dog thinks I don't belong here'_. My bitter smile was on me again. _'How ironical.'_

"It's all right. I'm not really so weird." I tried to soothe it and again, I extended my arm.

The jet black dog backed further away. Then, without warning, it pounced.

_'What...!?'_

Next second, the dog came bounding forewards, jaws open, aiming at at something just below my face: My neck...

There was no time to think. All I can say is, my naginata skills saved me from being the dog's next meal:

My arms acted of their own accord and with a swift movement, I swung the practicing naginata towards the dog. The bamboo stick collied against the dog's body with full force, thrusting the bounding animal aside. It hit the ground with a dull thump, closely followed by it's ear-splitting yowl of pain.

I fell to the ground, unable to move as fear and shock of what just happened petriefied me on the spot. All thoughts had died away in me, all I did was stare at the dog with my eyes wide with shock.

The warm light of spring was cut away by sudden clouds, instantly darkening the place. I heared thunder from above, closely followed by the first drops of rain. They fell onto my cheeks like cold tears, but I gave them no notice. All my attention was on the dog, watching it's transformation with absolute horror.

Because in the exact moment when the clouds had blocked out the light, the dog had begun to change form: It's body had become much bigger, huger, it's height now surpassing my own by feet. It's teeth became long, sharp, dagger-like fangs with saliva dripping from them like poison. And it's eyes were gleaming ruby red, pointing at me with the air of a wolf pinning it's prey down.

The dog opened it's mouth and snarled.

That was it. I bolted up to my feet and ran, fleeing into the woods, my hand still clutching my practincing naginata.

I heared the snarling behind and the galopping paws as the dog bounded after me... I put all my might into my legs and sprinted down the now sodden path as fast as I could, deep into the wood.

I had hoped to get a bit more shelter, getting in the woods, but no such luck. Either the rain had started coming down harder or the trees had suddenly decided they were against me.

In any case, nothing stopped that rain from wetting me completely, as well as the earthen ground, which was quickly becoming patched with great puddles of mud.

Cold, soaked to the bones and with fear gripping my heart, the worst thing that could have happened to me right in that moment was to slip in the mud. And slip I did, while loosing my footing on a slippery rock.

I tumbled onto the muddy ground, luckly avoiding a murky looking puddle, and slammed against the wet stone pavement. Wait. _Pavement_? There hadn't been any pavement until moments ago!

For a split second, I managed to forget about the nightmare which was hunting me down, and, after having picked myself up, I let myself look around.

As I had expected, a few feet behind me there was only the muddy pathway I had been following. It was from the point on which I slipped, well, more like _tripped_, that the stone path started.

But precious time was ticking away and I still standing there. Who cares about a stone pathway, anyway!? For heaven's sake, just keep on moving those legs will you, Chihiro!

Yet I still managed to kill those thoughts and close my eyes for a moment. Stone has always been a sign of humanity, and where a stone pavement excists, there will also be... _'...help!'_

I'll follow this path. Wherever it will lead...

* * *

I began to run again, the trees passing me by like black, crooked shadows. I ran and ran, until my eyes saw a small little statue of a monkey spirit, all covered with moss and darkened by the rain and beyond it, that building that looked like a gate.

Hope entered me as the building finally came to realization. There will be someone... There _will_!

But then, I stopped.

I knew I had never come here. I was beyond sure about it. And yet, somehow, I still managed call it _familiar_... The red tall building, like a wall, with only one single, doorless opening to it. And the moss covered monkey spirit statue before it.

And just as my eyes settled onto the statue another thing came into my sight, that I hadn't noticed before: Just behind the statue and lying just as motionless, was a dark figure.

I moved towards it, first uncertain, then with more urgence after I realized that the dark thing that covered it was blood.

I instantly ran towards the injured person, whom I quickly noticed, was a boy. But he was no near to the average japanese boy: Long strands of dark green hair fell over his face, conceiling his facial features. His suikan was in tatters, torn and from which dark red blood constantly flowed out from the gashes in his back, chest and stomach.

I froze. Was he...?

But next second, the boy's chest gave a great heave as he panted again, and I sighed inwardly.

"Hey!" I cried, bending swiftly down and shaking him. "Are you all right!?"

The boy gave out a groan of pain. I was about to say something, but something else caught my attention: Deep, menacing growls, accompanied by snarls, sounded from behind.

I slowly turned to face the dogs and found seven of them encricling me and the boy, each baring their murderous fangs as seven pairs of gleaming red eyes glared back at me.

My shoulders began to quiver as panic overtook me. What was I going to do now? Running away while leaving the boy behind was out of question, but I couldn't bring him along either.

How could I defend myself from these dogs? No, not dogs. Dogs were not like this, only monsters could be so viscious. Then Inugami...?

But I didn't spare a further thought for this; I desperately searched for a weapon... Until my eyes fell on the bamboo pole I had been unconsciously gripping tightly in my right hand.

_'For what have you been learning the naginata, Chihiro?'_ a voice echoed in my mind. This thought gave me strength.

"I'm not that powerless as you think...!" I muttered under my breath, speaking to the inugami before me.

Taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart, I closed my eyes. As my heart gradually calmed down, so did my mind. I discovered that I could now think more clearly, the fear and panic had somehow abated. I was able to ommit the frightening sound of the inugamis' snarls, the constant pounding and cold wetness of the rain until I was feeling only myself.

I dug my feet deep into the ground, giving me a steady footage, and brought my practicing naginata before me, just as I had done in the many matches before.

Then, I finally opened my eyes. I won't run away. Not anymore.

I had no idea why these inugami were attacking me; if I had done something wrong, then I would apologize to the dog spirits, but letting hereself be attacked or worse killed so obidiently was beyond me. If they wanted to hurt me or this boy so badly, well then, they would have to put up with a fight.

I took one last breath, then shouted with all the might I had, "Koi!"

And come they did.

The first to attack was the inugami just infront of me, the largest, probably the chief of it's pack. It leaped forwards with a ferocious snarl, jaws wide open, ready to bite...

I caught it in it's unprotected side, slamming him into a near-by tree. But far from discouraging my attackers, they became even more dangerously ferocious.

Next moment, another one came, but I swiftly backed away, jabing my naginata into it's ribs. And much to my shock, the pole went right through the inugami, as it had been a mere shadow.

The inugami lowered it's fierce eyes down to where the naginata was piercing it, then looked back again at me. It's lips curled up into what seemed like a smirk. Then, it leaped back with no mark of being injured what so ever.

I stooded still again, panic overwhelming me once more.

Taking advatage of my sudden uncertainty, the second inugami lept forewards again. Took by surprise and brought back to reality, I barely escaped my death: Next second, I found the wooden pole mere inches before my face, the inugami's jaws were clamped tightly around the naginata, instead of biting into my soft flesh.

The two wrestled for a fraction of a second, then I finally managed to throw him off. But even though the murderous fangs missed me by a hand's breath, it's claws still managed to cut through my arm as if it were nothing but butter.

I backed insitcitvely away, biting my lip as not to cry out. My hand shot up to clutch at my arm as hot, warm blood started to gush out of the wound.

At the scent of fresh blood, the inugami became even more excited, licking their lips, saliva dripping freely from their open jaws.

And just then, there came a voice from just behind me.

"Chihiro...!?"

I turned slowly around to find the strange boy looking up at me, leaning heavyly on his good arm. Now that he was facing me, his hair revealed his previously hidden features. His face, along with his eyes, was handsome, near to be described beautiful. I choked everything which had until now pressing me mind back as I stared into those beautiful jade green eyes, perfectly slanted, almost as if I would drown in them.

I knew those eyes. They were exactly the same as of the dragon I had drawn that very day, only made ever more beautiful and enchanting by those jade orbs. That straight, truthful and protective gaze pierce right through my heart like an arrow.

As the concerned light in the boy's eyes increased, I was finally able to snatch myself away from those dangerous swirling pools of green jade.

I opened my mouth. Why did he know my name? Who was he? Was he all right?

But even before I could take a single breath, the boy shouted, "Behind you!"

And then I the unmistakeable sound of a set of fangs sinking into human flesh, just below my ear, closely followed by a terrible pain in my shoulder.

_'Eh...?'_

That was the only thought which run through my blank mind. All of a sudden, the various noises all around me seemed to have been ommited. I heared nothing, I _thought_ nothing. Somehow I had lost controll over my body and I found myself falling down into the sodden ground.

I didn't even feel the impact with the ground. My body felt numb. Only my shoulder seemed to be throbbing uncomfourtably.

My gaze fell to the wet ground. I saw crimson water expanding below me, as if I were lying in a giant red pond.

_'Why...?'_ I thought slowly.

Then, I saw out of the corner of the eye that boy's face entering my vision. He seemed to have rushed at my side. I felt his touch, his arms around me, shaking me; I even heard him calling my name.

But everything seemed so distant, as if it wasn't really happening to myself but I was merely watching this.

_'Why...?'_ I repeated once more, my eyes following the boy. _'Why do you know my name? Why do you care about me so much? Who are you...?'_

I felt his strong arms pull me up, as he stood up carrying me. To this, I felt a slight tinge of annoyance. I didn't remember asking any help! And certainly not from someone who should be more heavely injured than me! It was just wound in the shoulder, for heaven's sake!

But even as I tried to protest in someway, I was reminded that my body currently wasn't taking any orders from my mind, as it did not move.

Though affronted, I gave up and silently watched as the inugami's muzzle opened and closed, as if speaking. And even though I couldn't hear anything, for whatever reasons, I could still make out that they too looked affronted and I wondered what they were saying.

Then, everyone stopped moving, then the boy extended one pale, smooth hand towards the inugami.

Dark blue light began to gather itself in his outstretched palm, forming a ball. The inugami now looked at us with warry eyes, some blinking away from the blue light.

The largest of them growled in displeasure, in seeing defeat, then began to fade away.

Then, they were gone.

And I watched all of it, motionless, held by the myterious dragon boy. I watched as the boy turned away from where the dog spirits had disappeared, just right infront of the monkey statue, and began to make his way towards the red gate.

The swaying was so comforting... His arms so warm...

And before I knew it, I was engulfed by first the comforting warmth, then total darkness.


	4. Chapter 3: Haku to Iyu Na no Ryu

**A/N: Took me quite sometime here...**

**Translation Notes:**

**Aitakatta yo, Chihiro: I wanted to see you, Chihiro  
****Sa, nemuri na: Now, sleep  
****Ikanaide!: Don't go!  
****Onegai... Koko ni ite...: Please... Stay with here...  
****Isshoni ite ageru kara, anshin shite nemurinasai: I'll stay with you, so don't worry and rest  
****Arigatou: Thank you**

* * *

Chapter 3: Haku to Iyu Na no Ryu ~ The Dragon Named Haku

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at the ceiling of an unfamiliar room, certainly not of my own bedroom. I soon realized I was lying in a futon. I closed my eyes for a moment, my head throbbing uncomfortably. I reopened them, searching my surroundings.

The room seemed to be a traditional one, as the ceiling was made out of dark wood. It was lit by a single candle, it's warm yellow glow enlighting the otherwise dark and mysterious room.

I tilted my head to the right, from where the candle light came, and found the dragon boy sitting cross-legged just infront of me, beside the long candle stand. He seemed to be asleep, his face resting on his elbow, his long dark green hair covering his face from view.

I immediately noticed that his wounds had disappeared, or else had been healed. He had changed clothes, now wearing a simple hakama, and he had no sign of having bandages.

The word 'wounds' recalled the memory of what had happened. I opened my mouth, even though I didn't know what I was about to say. So many questions were beginning to pop in my head as I stared at this strange and handsome dragon boy...

Even though I had my lips parted, no sound escaped me.

And yet, despite that, the boy stired from his sleep, as though he had heared me as clear as if I had spoken out aloud. He opened his eyes, lifting his head up from where it had been resting, and smiled down at me.

"You're awake, I see." He said. His voice was gentle and smooth, like the rippling waters of a river on a calm day, and yet somewhere, I also heared an endless deepness...

I nearly forgot to breath as I was once again captured into those pools of jade, almost feeling the warmth in his smile touch me. I nodded silently, suddenly feeling as if I was in a dream.

"How are you feeling?" the boy asked and this time, anxiousness entered his gaze.

This took me time to answer. Come to think of it, how was I? I didn't feel any particular pain in any particular place and except my throbbing head and my prickling shoulder, I was quite well... I think.

"I... I think I'm all right..." I said feebly, misreably failing to put more energy into my voice.

I sat up. Or else, tried to, because in that very moment, a shot of pain coursed through me whole body, starting from my shoulder. I bit my lip as not to scream, but a whimper escaped from the back of my throat. The boy was at my side in mere seconds.

"Don't...!" He said hastily. He helped me to lie back again on my futon, pulling up the blanket up to my chin again. "Take it easy..." He added, more gently.

_'Why is he so kind...'_ I wondered strongly, noticing only too well the boy's gaze, as if he were looking at someone he had been longing to see.

I opened my mouth again to ask who he was, but in the very same moment, the boy smiled again.

"Chihiro..." He whispered, and reached over a hand to touch my face. "It's been so many years... Forgive me, I have made you wait too long."

What was going on!? By now, my face had lit up spectacularly, my blood racing though my veins and I was holding my breath. What's he talking about? Did we ever meet? When? Where?

But I was trapped by those jaded eyes, cagged and imprisoned, with no escape. Even breathing had become harder as I stared up at this boy, my eyes large and wide.

His smile became ever more gentler, his voice ever more softer. "_Aitakatta yo, Chihiro_."

Finally, as if a miracle, I snapped free of that enchanting gaze. Not giving a damn to the pain in my shoulder, I shot up again, the covers flying as I flung out a hand to stem the flow of the boy's words.

"Ha... Hang on a sec!" I cried. "Who are you!? Do I know you? What are you talking about? Wh-"

But I stopped in mid ranting as I saw the light in the boy's eyes: Shock, disbelief... and despair. I suddenly dropped my gaze to my hands in my lap. I couldn't bare seeing him.

I shook my head. "Just... Who are you...?"

* * *

"So you don't remember anything?"

"No."

"Nothing at all?"

I sighed impatiently. How many times do I have to tell him?

"I told you," I said, repeating once again in a slow voice. "I have complete no idea, neither who you are, where I am right now nor to what you've been referring to for the past few minutes." _'Will you just be so kind and explain to me whats going on!?'_ I was innerly bursting to shout this out.

I stopped when saw his look of dismay. It wasn't his fault. He's probably confused and shocked as I am.

"... Maybe you could try to explain me a bit..." I said, after a painful silence.

The boy looked up at me, his eyes reflecting my own face all suddenly lost. Hey, whose supposed to be lost and confused? You or me!?

But I carry on, a half hearted smile bending my lips. "...You know, maybe I might start to remember!"

As if such a wonderful thing ever happen right now. But it was an effort, and the boy seemed to have decided that my attempt was not in vain.

He nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his own mouth, but never reaching his eyes.

"You're right, I'm sorry. You must be confused, as well as frightened, being in an unfamiliar surrounding." He said. "Allow me to introduce me: My name is Haku."

"Ha...ku..." I repeated, as if tasting the name on my tonuge. I quickly shut my mouth, flushing.

Yet I couldn't ignore the funny feeling that tugged somewhere inside me, whenever his names sounds and, right now, each time I look at him. I tired to ignore this.

"You are a dragon..., aren't you?" The question came out of as if it were the most natural question in the world. Didn't I have other pressing questions on my mind?!

Haku nodded, his smile fading away.

"...And what did you mean by "you don't remember anything"? Remember what?"

This time, it took him a while to answer me. He hept his eyes trained on me, frowning, as if considering whether or not to tell me.

"If you remembered me." He said quietly, after some time. "Or the Spirit World."

"You...?" I echoed.

Suddenly, I felt wrecked. As if I had suddenly realized a big hole was inside me, a huge gap in which something terribly important and vital, went missing.

The _Spirit World_... It made sense. The Inugami, Haku himself as a dragon... The world of all supernatural beings, of those who _see_ and _can be seen_. The Other World.

"What happened...?" I then asked. Please tell me the whole story...!

Haku was still looking at me, his eyes somehow looked a shade darker. And then he said something, but, don't ask me why or how, I just didn't catch his words.

"Sorry? What did you say?" It sounded stupid of me. We were only feet apart, for God's sake! I don't think my hearing could have worsened so much in a space of a moment, could it now? And judging by his quizical look, he too must have thought it odd.

"I said-"

But then something happened that made my blood freeze in my veins: Instead of hearing his words, his voice, I hear some strange noises, as if when listening to a tape and then the audio suddenly gets ruined or something. As if the sound was being errased from excistance or, at least, so that it didn't reach my ears. I must have had a look of utter shock, because Haku fell still too.

"Did you hear what I said?" He asked quietly, his tone dead serious.

_'And now I can hear him...' _I shook my head, speechless. Because I had my eyes trained again on my lap, I didn't see the worry enter Haku's face.

I heared him sigh. "Chihiro,"

I didn't even want to look up at him, dread filling me. It would only make matters worse.

Because I knew why I didn't hear him. I closed my eyes, ready for it to come.

"I am sorry." It took a minute for his words to sink in. Wait, these weren't the words he was supposed to be saying!

By now, I had looked up and I didn't bother hiding my bewilderment. But he wasn't looking at me. He was staring aimlessly at his own hands.

"It seems I have spoken too much." His words render me even more speechless. What was he...?

This time he looked up, a strange light glinting in his eyes, withering and frail. "You should rest." He then said, he voice becoming soft. "Your wounds are not yet fully healed."

He gently helped me lie down again, and I let him, my I mind practically blank. What was going on...? I wanted ask, no _demand_ him an answer, but I quickly discovered that my mouth wasn't working properly anymore.

"_Sa, nemuri na_." he whispered softly.

He extended a hand and let it run softly on my forehead, brushing away some of the strands which had fallen into my eyes. His touch was cool against my hot, sticky skin, making it even worse as I began to blush, regardless of my current situation.

He stayed like this for some moments, and gradually, I felt my mind, along with everything else, become all fuzzy and groggy with sleep. My eyelids where starting to droop silently on their own, when I felt his cool touch retreat...

My eyes were open in seconds as my heart made a jolt, a sudden fright taking over me. The prospect of being left behind in an unknown room, terrified me beyond immagination. Haku was the only person I at least knew in these unfamiliar surroundings.

And, sure enough, my hand shot out just to catch the hem of Haku's long sleeves, stopping him.

"_Ikanaide_!"I cried out. Then, realizing what I has just said, I looked down, avoiding Haku's gaze, and I flush (again). "_Onegai... Koko ni ite..._"

Stunned, Haku said nothing. But he turned again towards me and sat again at my side. "All right." He murmered, nodding once. "_Isshoni ite ageru kara, anshin shite nemurinasai_."

Hearing this, I smiled for the first time since I had woken up. I nodded in assent. "Haku, _arigatou_..." I whispered, then closed my eyes, silently promising myself that, next time I'd wake up, I'd make Haku answer my questions, whatever the costs.

I heared faintly Haku whisper something back, but I was too tired to listen or register the meaning of his words. All I knew was that I felt at last safe, and that some time later, I thought I felt a hand stroke my cheek ever so gently...

But whether it was just a dream, I would probably never know.

* * *

Phew... Editing sure takes time! Actually, I'm figuring out it's even more tedious than writing the original chapter!


	5. Chapter 4: Mezametara Yuya Ni

**A/N: Sorry for the late update! Please enjoy!^^**

**Translation Notes:**

**Hontou ni Sen jyanaika!? Hisashiburi dana!: It's really you, Sen!? It's been a long time!  
****Tasukete kurete, arigatou gozaimasu, Haku-san!: Thank you for saving me, Haku-san!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Mezametara Yuya Ni - Woken Up in a Bath House

Next time I opened my eyes, I found frail afternoon sunlight spilling into the room from the windows... And people's voices shouting like mad just infront of the shouji at the other side of my futon.

I staggered up, frowning at the shouting voices. Whatever their row was, they weren't helping my still sensitive head at all.

But then I made quite a discovery as I looked down myself, though I wasn't sure if I should call it a pleasant or shocking: Someone had changed me into a white kimono undershirt, the ones that you wore under the usual coloured layers.

Feeling lost, I quickly searched for my school uniform... But my clothes were no where in sight. Thankfully enough, I still had my precious red hairband, which I had ever since I could remember.

The only wearable thing I found within my eyesight was an exquistely embroided light green kimono with chrysanthemum and sakura blossoms as design, carefully hung up onto one those kimono hangers. It looked as if it had been readied for someone close to my seize to wear, but the thought of wearing it didn't even cross my mind.

Instead, my eyes then stopped on a chest of drawers, carved from dark smooth wood, just next to the garment. I walked up to it and, after a small hesitation, I reached down randomly to one of the drawers and pulled.

To my surprise and delight, I found salmon pink clothing stacked neatly into it. It was quite a peculiar hakama, not at all like the ones you'd normally see around, but I was content with it all the same.

I quickly changed into the clothing and hurried towards the shouji from which all the noise was coming from. As I neared towards the paper doors, I was able to catch the words in the conversation, or else, discussion:

"... What do you mean 'I'm not allowed to go in there!?'" A loud, pouting voice was spluttering. A girl, I guessed, maybe a bit more older than myself. "It's Sen isn't!? Why won't you let me see her!?"

I seemed to be the main cause of the whole pandemonium. Great.

The other person hissed quietly, "Rin! Please, keep your voice down...!"

"What's with Sen!?" The girl called Rin wouldn't back off so easily. There came a sigh and a pause. Then,

"Chihiro has-"

I would have loved to here what came next, but I couldn't help it. My hands were in the the shoujo handle and before I knew it, I was opening the shouji.

And found Haku and another girl standing just before me. I assumed this was Rin and I had guessed right: Rin was probably around eighteen, thin and with a curtain of evenly cut dark brown hair flowing down to her hip and she too was wearing the same hakama. There was a kind of feline or foxish look about her, as her face was unnaturally slim. Well, if I had really landed in the Spirit World, it would be no wonder Rin turned out be a spirit of some sort.

I simply stared at them in surprise, and I soon witnessed the same expression enter Haku's and the older girl's face. But then, my expression darkened again.

"So...," I said slowly, looking directly at Haku. "What's with me?"

For a moment, neither of the quarreling two said nothing. Clearly they had not counted on me to wake up so soon, and this thought somehow managed to annoy me even more. The first to recover was Rin.

"Sen!" she cried, hurrying passed Haku and up to me. "Hontou ni Sen jyanaika!? Hisashiburi dana!"

_'Sen?'_ I couldn't help frowining. This girl seemed to know me, but I could've sworn I'd never seen her. "Yes..." I muttered, trying to hide my perplexity. Better to go along the lines as much as possible.

I darted my eyes quickly to Haku for some kind of explenation, anything actually, but he remained impassible as ever. _'Thanks for the help. And I thought you were on my side.'_ Meanwhile, Rin was having a good look at me.

"Sure you've grown up, eh Sen?" she said, grinning down at me. "What was it? Four years ago...?"

Rin scowled, trying to remember exactly how many years prior we had 'supposedly' met. However perplexed, I quickly realized that soon, I'd have to say _something_. But what are you supposed to say to a person who you're pretending to know, without giving yourself away?

I suppose some look of confusement must have eventually surfaced, because just then, Haku opened his mouth.

"Rin..." he said quietly. "I think that's enough."

Rin whirled around to scowl at the dragon boy, her dark brown eyes flashing in anger and annoyance.

"What!?"she barked furiously. "Aren't I even allowed to greet her properly!? Or are you already going to whisk Sen away from-"

"Rin." This time, Haku didn't wait for Rin to finish, cutting her off, his eyes becoming cool slits of jade. "Can't you see that you put our guest difficult situation?"

And then looked pointedly over Rin's shoulder to look at me, who had until now blushed slightly at Rin's implied remarks. Rin turned too and sensing both gazes, I immediately began to shake my head and hands before me. "Ah... No, it's all right..."

Seeing my uneasyness, Rin finally gave in. "All right." she muttered under her breath, and again looked daggers at Haku. "You owe me an explanation for later, dragon."

And with these words, the spirit girl began to sprint furiously down the corridor, huffing impatiently. All that remained after Rin's furious outburst was a silent Haku and a helplessly troubled me standing in the corridor, subsequently making the place plunge into an uncomfourtable silence.

"Um... Haku...?" I asked cautiously, trying to break the silence between us. "Could you explain me what Rin meant...? She seemed to know me..." _'As I seem to know you...'_ I added, but I didn't dare voice this out.

But Haku didn't answer me. Instead, he too began to walk down the dark, wooden corridor, saying, "Come, I will take you to Yubaaba, the witch governering this place. Your questions will be answered then."

Though slightly grudingly, I followed the strange boy. Silence yet again plunged between us, but this time, I was well occupied with my own thoughts to be bothered about this.

I couldn't honestly decide what kind of person Haku was. Was he even on my side or did I get this wrong? Only yesterday, before I had admitted not knowing him, he had spoken to me with such familiarity and gentleness, but after that... It was as if I had completely closed himself from me.

As if sensing my gaze, Haku turned slightly and I quickly darted my eyes to somewhere else, desperately trying to avoid eye contact. I didn't like those eyes. Well, they were beautiful all right. Infact, they were almost too enchanting, sucking my soul away when ever I found myself emersed in those jaded orbs...

But what I didn't like at all was that straight gaze. A straightness which could see directly through my very mind and soul. That's why.

_'And anyway,'_ I carried on rambling, all the more irritated by the silence. _'why on earth was _I_ spirited away!? I haven't done nothing wrong! All I did was-'_

"Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you properly, have I?"

"Eh...?"

Haku had interrupted my train of thoughts so suddenly, I was brought down onto firm earth with an unpleasant thud. My eyes must have reflected my sudden disorientation; looking up, I found Haku gazing at me bemusedly.

"When the Inugami were attacking." he explained, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Finally understanding, I looked for a moment surprised. I had quite forgotten that he had still not yet thanked me for saving him from the dog spirits... And come to think it, I neither.

I shook my head, I too smiling as my initial irritation towards this mysterious boy quickly melted away. So he had remembered...

"No, it's all right... I did what was obvious..." I said, smiling up at him. "Actually, I'm the one who should be thanking you." I stopped abruptly and bowed deeply to Haku. "Tasukete kurete, arigatou gozaimasu, Haku-san!"

But when I raised my head again and straightened up, however, I found Haku yet again gazing down at me with those kind eyes, yet with a painful light blended in them. Even though his face was gentle and bright, only his eyes told another hidden part of this boy... Again, that strange gaze of longing...

Then Haku made a wry smile. "It's all right. And you don't have to use formality with me, Chihiro. Just call me Haku."

All I could do was to nod silently, my eyes following the dragon boy's every movement. Meanwhile, Haku had turned again, his long dark green hair swishing behind him, as he began to walk down the corridor they had been currently passing, saying,

"Now, let us go!"


	6. Chapter 6: Happening - Kieta Majo

**A/N: I seriously have no idea how I am supposed to earn your, as my readers, forgivingness for not having updated for more than a half a year (and don't you dare that it wasn't cause it was). I suppose all I can say is that it was a hard time (yeah, it was the wb as usual) finding out how to outwit the Block. Well, thanks to it, at least, I had to change the first piece of the story a great deal, and I hope it will turn out better... Please enjoy, and I hope you'll forgive me by the end of this chapter...!**

**Story cover disclaimer: As I think you've already noticed, since my last update I've added the story cover. Just to make things clear: I don't own the picture and all credits goes to it's artists (whose name I sadly don't know)!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Happening ~ Kieta Majo - Happening ~ The Witch's Disappearance

As they were constantly nearing towards the huge double doors at the most right, Chihiro felt her stomach make an unpleasant lurch: She was suddenly nervous. _Very_ nervous infact. But she had no idea why.

She suddenly became aware of the menacing surroundings. How the coldness of the polished marble floor seeped right into the soles of her bare feet, how the faint light of the three lamps high above, the only light in the hall, loomed down upon them, and possibly, how tall and cold those giant vases stood at each side.

Chihiro looked up and found to her shock, a huge brass emblem, shaped like a bird with a strange, humanly oversized head. And in it's center, the unmistakable kanji, and thus the initial, of the Aburaya. There was no doubt. This was Yubaaba's office and household for sure.

Her eyes darted over her shoulder. Yes, a few feet away was the same inital on the floor, something which made Chihiro stand even more on the edges. Haku was the first to reach the door, climbing swiftly up those few steps which led to it, his long dark green hair swishing behind him as he did so. And as her eyes followed him, Chihiro saw him stop right in front of a brass doorknocker, the head shaped like none other than a granny.

She dragged her feet quite reluctantly now, up the few steps, and she too stopped beside Haku. She was feeling much more tense and nervous. Maybe it wasn't a good idea afterall...

But too late. Haku was already stretching his hand out, and, next moment, his cool hand touched the knocker lightly. And as if by magic, the granny head sprang into life.

"Well, I see that you have arrived!" she cackled, her brass eyes rolling in their eyesballs.

Chihiro yelped, backing away, nearly falling down the steps as she did so. Pure shock overwhelmed her. To be sure, the Spirit world must have many strange things: A bathhouse packed with kami, a radish god winking at her, a spirit girl welcoming her like a comrade in arms, no problem! But a talking granny-headed knocker? Chihiro wasn't sure about this...

The knocker cackled even more as she saw the poor girl's reaction. "And I also see that _she'_s here too. Now, come in."

And at her words, the doors opened inwardly, revealing an antiroom, lavished in gold, with another double door. This subsequently swung open of it's own accord and then, yet another door was waiting to open. And on in went, until a long corridor full of doors and antirooms, all identical to one another, was created.

Haku didn't need to be told twice; he dipped his head slightly, then stepped onto the threshold. He turned, his jaded eyes looking gently at Chihiro, though his voice was more cooler.

"Come." he said.

Chihiro nodded uncertainly. This was what she had wanted all the time, wasn't it? To seek the place where she could get the answers from.

She took one step forwards, then another, and finally, she began to walk through the first antiroom, her eyes never leaving Haku as single moment.

As soon as they entered the second antiroom, however, there came a creaking, then the unmistakable sound of a thud and a click as the front doors banged shut.

Chihiro, having heared this, gulped silently. Now there was no turning back.

* * *

Yubaaba's lips quirked upwards in a sarcastic smirk, as if she had just swallowed something very unpleasant.

"They're coming, all right." she informed cooly the other two occupants of her study room. "Now, what is _your_ business here, might I ask?"

And the witch looked directly at her guests: a Kitsune and a Tengu. There were standing just a few feet away from her, infront of her desk. The Kitsune, a red fox with two magnificient bushy tails, sat paitiently on it's velty paws, while the Tengu, tall with candid feathery wings spashed with black here and there, stood a few steps behind the fox. Both were quite expressionless and calm, not minding Yubaaba's edgy tone at all.

"Who's the fool who sent you? Clearly, he can't see any distinction between me and that twin sister of mine, as I might take, you were seeking. How _displeasing_..."Yubaaba continued, putting an emphasize on the last word. She leered. "Well, if you are going to stand there like a useless piece of furniture, I'll have to ask you to leave: I am a very busy witch you see, and as you might have guessed, I have other guests to attend."

Not waiting for an answer, she continued yet again. Her eyes, which now had returned to her various documents on her desk, remained trained down. "As you were clearly searching for Zeniiba, I can tell you her address right away: Numa no -"

"We know where Witch Zeniiba lives, and we are to wait for her arrival, Yubaaba-sama. That is why we came here and only in the prescence of your twin sister, may we speek." The kitsune surprisingly spoke up, cutting Yubaaba elegantly away with it's smooth, vibrant voice: A female kitsune.

Yubaaba looked quite taken aback. But then soon recovered. "Here?" she asked, her voice full of false disbelief and scorn. "I highly doubt that. My sister has never placed foot in this bathouse in fifty years."

"Fifty years?" A voice sounded just beside her. And it sounded uncannily like her own, only a tone gentler. "Really? I thought it was only fourty!"

Yubaaba turned her head slowly to her right, and found her twin sister, Zeniiba, standing right beside her. Like the identical reflection of Yubaaba, the only thing which distingished Zeniiba from her twin were her gaze and tone, which were heaps more gentler than the other witch. And as soon as Yubaaba registered Zeniiba's face, which didn't take long, she gave out an indignant squawk.

"_You!_" she cried out, staring at the twin with such intensity and shock that her plate sized eyes seemed to bulge dangerously in their eyesockets.

"Yes, me." Zeniiba repeated gently. Then she added, quite matter-of-factly. "And so much as a hello to your dear twin sister, eh?"

The newly arrived, or better to say, materialized twin turned to the kitsune and tengu at the other side of the table. "Please excuse my late arrival," she said to them."I had... a little inconvienience along the way."

Instinctively, the two bowed respectively before her, murming that she needened apology. Zeniiba waved a hand at them, then turned yet again her attention to her twin, still sitting in her chair at the large, oaken desk. The papers she had been examing just a few seconds ago were still clamped securely between her long red nailed fingers.

Yubaaba's nose wrinkled up in visible annoyance and irritation as she looked away, making another indignant sound.

"Well, what _is_ it?" she asked, her voice though impatient and rude, quite didn't manage to cover up her exasperation. "Barging into my office like this? Don't you know it's rude, Zeniiba?"

She was back at her sneering. Zeniiba seemed to make an effort in restraining herself from snapping something back or making any other exasperated motion, though the roll of her eyes did escape her.

"Oh, well," she said, her voice easening again, her eyes twinkling. She could hear their faint but steadly nearing footsteps. "We couldn't simply miss the welcoming back of our dear two young guests, could we now?"

And she turned her big, long lashed eyes towards the office room door, which just in that moment, swung open.

But the person who was revealed standing behind it was neither Chihiro nor Haku.

* * *

Down they went through the long corridor of doors and rooms, until they reached the tenth or so room. This, however, was not anymore furnished in cold marble pavements or by a spacious room with little containing it.

It had become slightly narrower, but maybe that was only because those famously gigantic vases from before stood majestically in a line, one after the other. A rich red dyed rug run the length of the new corridor, ending into nothingness as ahead of them, no light seemed to be burning. Only the bright yellow light from the many dangling crystal chandeliers was the only light flooding in from the previous hallway.

Haku made the first steps, his firm step never wavering for a single moment, and began to walk through. Then, just when he had walked a few feet, he turned abruptly to the right and vanished.

Chihiro, who had been standing on the threshold, uncertain, gasped and ran after him, only to find Haku waiting for her just below a rather small, marble arch. She soon realized it served as entrance way to another side corridor. She had not noticed this marble arch as it was cleverly hidden away by those many vases, which, by standing so narrowly near each other, concealed the doorway. Had one not known of it's existance, one might have walked past and beyond it without giving it a single glance.

Seeing the flash of relief fleet across her face, Haku smiled apologetically, inclining his head ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, did I startle you?"

Chihiro shook her head, not responding. So now he was back to his formal self, was he? Then Chihiro stopped, frowning at herself. Gathering by the thought which had just crossed her mind, it sounded as if she knew him so well already...

She shook her head again, as if to wave away those disturbing thoughts away from her as one might do with fastidious flies. _'Not now.'_ she thought.

"Let's go." she said instead, in an uncharacteristically emotionless and low tone.

She had no desire in wasting time anymore. Espescially talking with someone with which she became very awkward with and of whom she constantly had whirling thoughts about.

Haku nodded, as if to understand, and turned his back to her. "This way then."

She followed him, even though the hesitant feeling was still lurking in her stomach. As they reassumed walking, she turned her attention to her surroundings.

They were in a very narrow corridor which nearly resembled a narrow street alley of richly carpeted walls and floor, as well as dimly lit by an occasional lamp. Every now and then, they encountered arm-length neiches in which those giant chinese vases stood flooded by the lamps above, as if on display.

Chihiro, while studying these vases, came to the conclusion that this witch Yubaaba must be undoubtedly wealthy and did not hesitate in showing it, gathering by the luxur of only this hallway and the vases, never one identical to the other and yet with the same, minute and exquisite details.

Her gaze moved then ahead of them, resting upon a green door which was coming ever nearer. But as the door came into view, Chihiro noted something strange. Something very strange. Something wrong:

The door was ajar and from the thin crack, no light shone through. A strong scent of blood was suddenly thick in the air.

"Haku-!" She cried and involuntarily walked into Haku's back.

Apparently, Haku had noticed it even before Chihiro herself had done. She had been so concentrated on the door and what could lie beyond it that she hadn't realized Haku coming at a stop.

Chihiro tentatively looked at Haku for reassurance, but found him frowning, his jaded eyes narrowing, his jaw set.

"Chihiro," he said quietly. A sheathed katana had appeared within his grasp out of thin air. "Stay close to me. We're going in."

Chihiro nodded, uncertain. Haku slowly walked up to the door and equally slowly, pushed the door open. They stepped in.

Just as she stood over the threshold, Chihiro couldn't help but gasp: The room was vast and dark, moonlight spilled into the room from the high windows lining at one side of the room, making what was _inside_ look even more grotesque than it was. Hundreds of books and sheets of papers lay strewn every where, glass and ceramic shards scattered. Curtains hung loosely, ripped and torn, while innumerous pieces of jewelry and golden coins shone dully in the silvery light.

It was as if a hurricane had it the office, tearing the place apart. But no hurricane could spray the amount of blood which was sprayed in there, and it's amount was most shocking. On the carpet, on the walls, every where. In a corner lay two great dark shapes which looked earily like bodies, cold and motionless...

Chihiro simply stared at the scene before her, aghast. Her hands had gone up unconsciously to clutch at her mouth and nose.

"What...?" she croaked weakly, turing to look at the dragon boy just beside.

It didn't surprise her to find him also starring, a look of disbelief mingled with shock washing over his features. He shook his head ever so slightly.

"I..."He looked as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words to express it. He shook his head again. "I'll check the other rooms. Chihiro, you stay here, all right? Call me if you find anything." _Or anyone..._

Chihiro gulped silently and nodded, even though the thought of standing alone in such a room was unnerving as ever. She wished she had the slim, polished handle of her naginata in her hands to comfort her right in that moment!

With a curt nod, Haku turned his back to her and began to cross the yards long room, cautiously avoiding to tread anything on the blood-dyed floor and weaving in and out the way of the broken, scattered pieces of furniture. He came at a stop, just behind a desk, and lingered there for a moment before what looked like a connecting door at the other end of the office. The curtains which should have concealed it were torn to rags, but otherwise, the door seemed to be intact and closed shut.

With one last glance at Chihiro, Haku gently pushed the double doors open and ventured in, swallowed whole by the dark shadows.

Chihiro had to silence the urge to call out his name just after he had disappeared, to call him back, but she bit her lip. Instead, she gave the room another long, sweeping glance, carefully avoiding to look closer at the two mounds in the corner. Her gaze stopped upon the windows and looked beyond them, suddenly recognizing the railings of a balcony just outside.

She gave a quick glance back at the connecting door from which Haku had gone and the door from where they had initally come in. Then, she began to gingerly make her way towards the high windows from where the only light was pooling in.

She stepped lightly, trying to avoid the crimson pools as possible, as well as not to slip in them. With a final hop, she reached the row of windows. _'Safe and unscathed'_ she added in her thoughts.

She turned her attention to the window panes and was surprised as, despite the destruction that had hit the office itself, they had remained whole without a single crack. She reached out with a hand and touched the cool surface of the glass.

She looked upwards, through the thin sheet of glass, and into the skies above. Stars were scattered into the night sky, shining like minute jewels suspended in mid air. A few clouds drifted apart, enabling the moon to shine it's rays even more further, as if it were the sun of the night.

While gazing, something caught Chihiro's eyes. Some movement, a blur, shadows. Quickly, she searched for a door leading to the balacony and it was not long before she had: Just to her left, at the very end of the office room, was a small green wooden door, barged by two large vases, one of them cracked open in half.

Without hesitating much, she approached the vases cautiously and began to heave and push, until both vases had rolled to the side enough for her to reach the door. Then, praying for the door to be unlocked, she placed her palm onto the door handle and lowered it.

The door opened with a satisfying creak and the sudden rush of cold, chilly air caught Chihiro off guard. She stepped swiftly outside and couldn't help breathing in deeply, welcoming the fresh air into her lungs with open arms. Only then did she realize just how much sickening the air had been back in the office.

But the moment of peace didn't last very long.

Soon, she became aware of two presences coming closer from behind. She barely had spun around before something glinting like silver and very sharp came to rest just at her neck. Her blood froze in her veins; her eyes slowly followed up the hand that held the blade and came to rest upon two faces. One of a boy and behind him, a girl baring a kitsune mask.

Both were armed, garbed in clothes which closely resembled ninja clothing. The boy, his age could have been from fifteen and upwards, cocked his to one side, a smirk touching his lips. He had sheen black hair, long and bound up high, his eyes red as glinting rubys. There was somthing about his features which rang a bell in her mind, though she could not exactly recall what it was.

The girl, she too with long, smooth raven hair that fell to her waist, stood motionless behind him, one of her hands lingering mildly at her katana waged into her obi. As her face was completely masked, it was quite useless to guess what expression she hiding at tha moment.

The wind began to blow on of it's mercilessly freezing spring breezes, making their hair billow and wave gently.

Chihiro's heart began to race and her breaths became shallow. She knew that if she screamed, she would be dead within seconds. Her lips parted; she had no idea what to say, her mind having gone blank as paper. She simply stared up and into the boy's eyes, trying to read his intentions.

Finally, the boy spoke. "Ogino Chihiro, we meet again."

His voice was deep and fluent. But it was the words that left his lips rather than his voice which, after having sunk into her, began to stir bewilderment in her. Her brows furrowed.

"What... What are you saying?" she stammered quietly, cursing herself for letting fear and panick colour her words. "Who are you? What are doing here?"

She made a small step backwards, then another and another, the blade following her every inch she moved. She backed away until she suddenly felt the cold railing in the small of her back. Now, she had cornered herself.

"So many questions," the boy drawled softly. "But what was there to expect when someone loses, or rather, is deprived of her memories?"

Chihiro's eyes narrowed, nearly missing the slight triumph that had entered the boy's eyes as she did so.

"How... do you know...?" she asked cautiously.

The boy smiled. "I can see. It's written all over you. Your eyes betray you, Ogino Chihiro."

That was the second time he used her name.

"Who are you?" she asked again, more defiantly though. "Why do you know my name?"

The boy shrugged. "We've met." he said vagualey. Then, he continued. "Tell me, how does it feel to be lied at? When you have that burning desire to discover the truth, but no one tells you? What if _they_ were the ones who have taken away your memories?"

It was as if he had read her emotions, her feelings, her mind. She suddenly felt vulnerable, something which, until then, had not once crossed her mind. Suddenly, she was conscious of all her surroundings, the coldness of the railings in her back, the icy, prickling sensation at her neck. She suddenly realized just how dangerous the blade was and as all these combined into one, the seriousness of the situation dawned upon her.

She slowly slid down the railing, down to the floor. She was beginning to shiver, the cool breaze making it even worse as sweat trickled down her temple.

Never in her life had she felt so afraid. Not even when those shikigami had bounded after her. Sure, to run for your with a pack of blood-thirsty dog spirits was frightening enough, but to have a person right in front of you, with a blade a blade at your throat and who knows exactly how to hurt you was an entirely diffrent matter... and much worse.

"What are you going to do with me...?" the words left her lips in barely more than a whisper.

Her eyes had never left the ruby red ones of the boy. And until now, they betrayed not a single emotion.

The boy didn't reply. Instead, he removed the tip of his blade from her beck and began to move it towards her face. Her heart raced even more, fearing what he was going to do.

She felt the coolness of the blade brush against her cheek, then fade away. And instead of seeing the blade cut into her flesh and draw blood, she saw it retreat slightly with a strand of her dark brown hair clinging to it.

Her mouth nearly dropped. Whoever this boy was, there was no arguing that he had a fine skill with the blade.

She gaped at him, her face washed by relief, horror, confusement, awe and fear. Yes, she still feared this person and she had every reason to do so. Her eyes caught something in his eyes, some strange, unexpectant light, frail and withering. He was looking at her in such an unnerving, nearly haunting way. As if he was feeling sad or pity towards her...

The boy was about say something , when, suddenly, there girl made an abrupt, swift movement towards the boy and caught his wrist, the one with which he was holding the blade, and jerked it away from Chihiro.

"That is enough." she said. Her voice came muffled from her mask, making it impossible to determine her emotions. "We must go, the Lady will be waiting for us."

The boy stood there for a fraction of second as if lost, then nodded. Sheathing his blade, he turned one last time to Chihiro, who was still on the floor.

"Until we meet again, Ogino Chihiro." he said quietly, something of a smirk touching his lips. "And give my best regards to Kohaku."

This said, the two turned their backs to her and made their way to the balcony railing. And then jumped. Not upwards; down.

This seemed to have snapped Chihiro out of her trance. She sat up as quickly as she could, gasping, and turned to look down the balcony.

There was no sign of the two. It was as if they had disappeared into thin air. But what was she goggling and looking amazed at? This was the Spirit World, things were bound to be different than in the normal world!

Then, quite abruptly, her legs gave away and she sagged down again, clutching the railings for support. Now that the danger had passed, it's after-effects seemed to have started. She breathed hard in and out, trying to quieten down her heartbeat.

Once calmed, she began to try to understand the meaning of the boy's words. But it was not long before she heard her own name being called.

"Chihiro!"

She turned to see Haku on the threshold, looking relieved as he saw her.

"Are you all right? What are you doing here?" he asked. Apparently, he had no idea of the two that had been there only minutes before.

She shook her head. "Nothing... I just needed some fresh air."

She wondered why she didn't tell him of her odd and dangerous encounter. And what had been said.

And she wondered why, each time she watched Haku after that, the following words would ring in her ears.

_"What if _they_ were the ones who have taken away your memories?"_

* * *

**Yes, I know. It was quite a long one and quite a lot of things happened. I took extra care in describing Yubaaba's rooms; in the movie we only get to see a handle of shots of it (yeah, I'm always looking for the background details). I hope the characters weren't too out of character (sorry if they were), and sorry for the slight cliffhanger... I hope you guys are going to forgive because, without readers, an author is nothing (and neither is the story). So, please review !**


	7. Chapter 7: Kitsune ga Kataru

**A/N: Yes! Finally, chap.7 is finished! Actually, this chapter should have included much more stuff, but then I realized that it would become way to long, so I split it up. Please enjoy! (and please forgive the overly too long translation list...)**

**Translation Notes:  
****Yunomi: the typical cup without handle in which the japanese drink their tea  
****Sencha: a type of green tea  
****Anta! Mada kizu ga...!: (You!) You're wounds are still...!  
****Oiran: japanese courtesan. They were mainly distinguished by the Geisha and Maiko as their obi was tied infront, and not behind them.  
****Yomi: the Underworld in japanese mythology  
****Takamahara: the world in which the gods and deities reside. Heaven.  
****Fuji: Wisteria tree  
****Momiji: Maple tree  
****Sakura: Cherry tree  
****Kaonashi: Original name of the english No-Face  
****Yuurei: Ghost  
****Onryou: Vengeful spirits  
****-dono: a formal suffix used when addressing people which are below you (e.g. age or status).**

* * *

Chapter 7: Kitsune ga Kataru - The Fox's Recounting

Chihiro took one long, shacky, deep sigh for the tenth time or so in a row, closing her eyes as she did so. Her trembling hands closed even more tighter around the warm _yunomi_ that had been given to her, the rich scent of _sencha_ wafting upwards.

She looked down at the inviting tea and took another long sip, willing herself to enjoy the fine taste of the tea, so that she was saved from those dreading thoughts that haunted her now.

But she knew it wouldn't last long. Soon, the cup was empty, and Chihiro was forced to look around herself once more.

She was in a small room, with a set of shouji doors, brightly painted, connecting to a room, and another single one which leaded outside onto the corridor. Frail morning light shone in through the white shouji windows, casting the retangular shadows of the wooden fraims onto the tatami floor and the small, low table at which Chihiro herself was sitting. No one else was in the room except her.

Chihiro took another deep breath, looking longingly at the shouji door. Beyond it, Rin, along with an eight-legged spirit named Kamajii, were trying their best to heal the Kitsune whom Chihiro and Haku had found unconscious and on the brink of death in Yubaaba's office. Her companion, a Tengu, had been found dead.

The two had been in there for what seemed like hours and, after Chihiro had helped to carry the Kitsune down till this room, Rin had told her to wait there, saying that she would call if anything happened.

Chihiro wished they had let her in and help. She wasn't exactly that helpless, she knew at least how to tend to wounds and blood didn't scare her that much. She only wished that they'd have given her at least something to do! But now she was here, in this small, seclosed room, abandoned mercilessly to her thoughts...

She couldn't help it. Every time she fell still, wasn't thinking something hard or wasn't doing anything with her hands, she would space out... and that boy's words would make their way into her mind.

Not just his words. His voices, his eyes and the way pittyful way that had regarded her... And the masked girl.

Her encounter with the two seemed to have put all what she had felt, that familiarity, that trust, all that had been now put into question.

Who should she believe in? Haku or that mysterious boy?

If it were Haku, then why hadn't he told her anything about her memories? Why would he have to keep it from her, going as far as lying to her about it, if he himself had claimed that they had met before in the past?

But that boy on the balcony had told her that she had been deprived from her memories. He had spoken as if he knew exactly what was going on about her. And he had given her a slight indication that the culprits could be right before her eyes.

But should she really trust him and his words? Afterall, he had held a blade at her throat and not to mention the fact that he and the girl had been up on the balcony right in front of that bloodbath of an office room, something which would give her enough reason to suspect them as the original attackers.

Then, there was the girl with the kitsune mask and her final words. She had been talking about a Lady of some kind. Now that Chihiro came to think about it, the boy had also mentioned a name before disappearing: Kohaku.

She wondered who it could be. The boy wouldn't have told her the name if he had known she knew no person by that name. And yet, the name Kohaku seemed to ring a distant, faint bell in her.

_'Kohaku...'_ she thought, toying around with the name in her head. _'Where did I here that name...?'_

And in that precise moment, it happened.

It was as if someone had split up Chihiro's skull. Searing pain coarsed through her, as if something was hammering her head.

She gasped, her eyes closing shut as she rolled over in pain, her hands clutching at her temples.

_'Stop...!'_ she pleaded, tears trickling down her pained face. A small whimper escaped her lips. _'Please... I won't try again... So please, just make it stop...!'_

And as if someone had been there, torturing her, and had heard her silent promise, the pain subsided all of a sudden, retreating as a satisfied torturer would do, having gotten what it wanted.

All that was left after that was an upturned tea cup and a panting Chihiro.

She was trembling as well as gasping for breath. She blinked furiously, trying to clear her blurred vision. When she recovered, she furstratedly dried away the remaing tears on the hem of her salmon pink hakama sleave and took another shaking breath.

It had started again. All because she had been trying to remember.

She bit her lip and bent over the table to reach for the fallen cup. Well, at least she could now label the name Kohaku under the 'danger-do not mention or think about' category...

She stopped, just as she had stretched out her hand and looked down. From beneath the smooth, dark polished surface of the table started out her reflection. But it wasn't her reflection that had made Chihiro stop.

It was her hairband.

It was shimmering, no, more like glowing, the red slim band standing out starkly within the dark brown of her hair around it.

She frowned. But then, this was the Spirit World she was in. All the impossible would become quite possible here. So she let it be.

Just then, the shouji door, the one connecting to the Kitsune's room, slid open with a snap.

"O... oi! You can't go around in that state!"

"Anta! Mada kizu ga...!"

Hearing suprised voices, Chihiro snapped her head up... and gaped. Standing before her was not the large red coated kitsune she had helped carry, but a woman, dressed in a kimono that reminded her vaguely of an _Oiran_, and with a pair of velvety kitsune ears peaking out from where her ears should have been. Her face too, was had very strong kitsune traits; slim and elongated and with bright yellow slits for eyes.

"Please..." the kitsune breathed. Unlike her appearance, however, her voice gave away that she had been floating between life and death mere moments before. "I _must_ see Yubaaba-sama's apprentice, immeadiately. Take me to him...!"

* * *

"Is it really a good idea...?" Chihiro asked Rin again in whisper.

Again, the spirit girl sighed impatiently and turned her gaze to look at the kitsune lady sitting just before them, her head bowed, hands before in the utmost respectful bow a lady could do. Chihiro too let her gaze follow Rin's.

"I don't know!" Rin hissed back from the corner of her mouth. "Don't ask _me_! I don't even know what the hell this is all about!"

No one else, other than Rin, the kitsune and Chihiro, was in the room. Kamajii had disappeared, saying something about his boiler room. And all three of them were now waiting for Haku to appear and reveal the whole mystery. Well, Rin was, at any rate. Chihiro, on the other, was quite sceptical as concerning Haku and his truth revealing. He hadn't shown himself very truthful as well as helpful to her until this very moment, so she had no reason to...

A shouji slid open to reveal Haku standing just on the threshold. As he came in, Chihiro couldn't help notice the small sigh he made as he did so, and the somber expression that was shown on his face.

His eyes flickered towards the two of them and acknowledged their prescence with a curt nod. Rin said nothing, but turned her head quickly away, arms crossed. It was clear that, for whatever reasons, she very well disliked him.

But Haku wasn't looking at her. He was looking at Chihiro, and intently too. As their eyes met briefly, Chihiro felt a sudden twinge of uneasiness at the pit of her stomach, and quickly averted her eyes, breaking the eye conntact.

The dragon boy remained silent, but then, after a slight pause, went and seated himeself at the very front mat.

"You must be Kitsune no Kochou." he spoke to the fox lady bowing in front of him. "Please, sit up. I hope that you have recovered from your injuries."

Kochou the Kitsune did as she was told, slightly incling her head as she did so.

"Thank you for your concern. I am well enough." she said in return. "And I assume you to be Haku-sama, Yubaaba-sama's apprentice."

Haku nodded uncertainly. "Yes, my name is indeed Haku, but I am no more Yubaaba's apprentice. I left her servitude years aback."

The kitsune looked back at him, her thin eyebrows arching upwards in surprise. "How so?"

"I...," Haku hesitated. For a split second, the ghost of a smile flickered across is lips as his jaded eyes searched and found Chihiro's again. Next moment, it was gone. He continued, his voice becoming softer. "I left because I had to find someone... someone important."

He shook his head. "It is not important."

Kochou nodded in assentment. "Of course. But then, if I may ask, who is in charge of the Aburaya at this moment? Has Yubaaba-sama taken in another apprentice, prehaps?"

Haku shook his head, regrettably. "No. I was the only apprentice Yubaaba had taken in ever since she became Govenor of this bathhouse."

"I understand..." the lady said, after a moment. She took a small in take of breath, then looked up at Haku again. "Then I must refer to you, Master Haku, of the happening back in the office."

And with another deep breath and a nod from Haku, Kochou began to tell her tale.

"My companion, Iwaba no Otenmaru, and I had been initially sent to the witch Zeniiba to report of the situation at the eastern borders of the Yomi barrier, as Zeniiba-sama, along with her sister, controll these lands. We were told from Zeniiba-sama herself to come here and wait, as she would then be joining us a while later. It was indeed not long after our arrival at Yubaaba-sama's office that she arrived."

"We were about to start our report, when we were interrupted. Yubaaba-sama and Zeniiba-sama had already stated beforehand that they were expecting visitors, two infact. But the two that came in were certainly not who they had been expecting."

Kochou's tone dropped lower, her expression becoming darker. Now, all of them in the room were.

Daring to interrupt her, Haku asked cautiously, "Who were they?"

The kitsune lady shook her head slowly. "I do not know, they did not name themselves. But the two witches seemed to know them. At least, Zeniiba-sama seemed to recognize one of them, a young boy."

"They were bare faced?" The dragon boy asked, slightly surprised.

"Only the boy was. The other, a girl, bore a white kitsune mask."

Chihiro's heart made an unpleasant thump. She sat very still, hardly daring to breath. All at once, she became only too conscious of her surroundings. She tried to concentrate her gaze on her hands in her lap, suddenly becoming very keen of how each finger was interwined with the other. She tried desperately to not listen to the kitsune lady's words.

She should have seen it coming. She should have known that they had something to do with the attack... Yet why did she feel so... so shocked? Was it because she had thought that they were bound to be good people? Or was there something more to it...?

She silently cursed herself for being so naive. But now that the two have been official announced as "enemies", should she still believe in what they had said? Maybe the boy had just told something randomly, maybe he had been trying to make her uncertain...

_'In which he did a fine job...'_ she thought bitterly. She had never been more confused, as well as unsure, than this. _'Or maybe, even though they attacked these people, maybe they still told me the truth...'_ She thought hopefully.

But another thought, more troubling than the first one, entered her head: Should she tell them?

Chihiro gripped her hands even tighter, and raised her head. Her lips parted as she was about to voice this out, when, suddenly, she found out that she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't bring herself to say it.

It was as if something was holding her back. From telling them. From being truthful with them...

She quickly dropped her gaze, lowering her head as she stared dumbstruck at the floor. She didn't even notice that her heartbeat had picked up speed, her lips quivering, her hands trembling.

What was said next never quite reached her ears.

"Would be so kind as to tell us how they... attacked?" Haku asked gently.

Kochou closed her eyes. "They hardly spoke a word. As soon as they were in the room, they had their unsheathed blades in their hands. It was not long before the lights were all out. In the dark, they tried to attack first Zeniiba-sama, but Otenmaru covered her and was the first to be injured. I myself tried to protect Yubaaba-sama from the masked girl, but she was wielding an enchanted blade..." She paused, then opened her slanted eyes and gazed fearfully at Haku. "A blade which I immeadiately recognized..."

Haku's eyes narrowed. "Which blade?"

The tention crackling now through the room made even Chihiro come back to her senses and listen.

"The Yofuji blade, carried and used by only but one." Kochou uttered in a low tone. "The Fuji no Miko."

Haku took a sharp in take of breath and even Rin, who until now had listened the tale without much enthusiams or with any interest at all, uttered a low hiss of "What!?"

Only Chihiro seemed quite oblivious of whom the three were referring to, something which made her slightly annoyed. _'Would anyone care to explain...?'_ she thought, bitterly.

"Who is this... this Fuji no Miko...?" It was the first time she spoke up in the entire conversation.

They all turned to look at her, Kochou even giving her a slight astounded expression, though whether she was surprised that Chihiro didn't know who this person was, or becasue she had suddenly realized that she was there, wasn't exactly clear. But all the same, their sudden attention all focused on her made her withdraw slightly.

"Well," she gulped, her tone becoming apologetic. "It's not that I really know about this world very much..."

Haku smiled in apology. "You're right, Chihiro. We're sorry."

"The Fuji no Miko, or Priestess of the Wiseria, is as her name, the priestess who serves the Fuji no Kami, who is, most probably, one of the most important Kami in this World." Kochou explained.

Chihiro frowned. "Why?"

"There are three main barriers in the Spirit World," Haku said. "One separating our world from the underworld, the Yomi, one from the Higher World, the Takamahara, and one for separating the Spirit World form your own world, Chihiro, the Human World. For each barrier, there is a guardian; a sacred tree and it's kami: The Fuji tree and it's kami for the Yomi barrier, the Momiji tree for the Takamahara and the Sakura for the Human one."

As the explanation finally seemed to sink in, Chihiro nodded.

"So...," she said cautiously, hoping to get it right. "So you're saying that the Fuji no Miko attacked Yubaaba?"

Kochou nodded. "It would mean that the Fuji no Kami herself has attacked the Governor of the Aburaya, this itself meaning that the witch has offended the Kami in someway."

Silence fell, only to be broken by Rin's snort.

"Well," the spirit girl muttered sarcastically. "There could be several things that old bat could have done to offend her, thinking of what she's been doing in the past!"

"Like what?" Chihiro asked, turning to look at her.

Rin shrugged. "Mostly stealing things from people, like gold or magic objects. But that's about a great deal ago. She probably learned her lesson, after she robbed her own sister and you wreaked havock here in the bathhouse."

Chihiro tried to make a genuinely confused expression, cocking her head and frowning, while her heart lept in sudden excitement.

"I... I did?" she asked.

Rin scowled at her. "Are you telling me you don't remember!? Yeah you did, letting in that Kaonashi monster in because you thought it was a customer!"

Chihiro let an expression of recognition wash over her face. "Oh, right!"

Had she really done so much damage? If so, then why were they all happy to see her again? And what was a _Kaonashi_?

"If what you have seen is true," Haku continued, turning his attention back to the kitsune. "Then matters could be far worse than I was expecting... If Yubaaba even made the Fuji no Kami as her enemy..." He fell into silence, a deep frown etching itself into his face as he thought deeply.

Then he said, "You said that you intially came here to report of the Yomi barrier at the eastern borders, am I right?"

Kochou nodded, her velety fox ears slightly twitching as she did so.

"Could you tell us more about it?"

The kitsune hesitated for a moment, then again inclined her head. "Very well. Very few know of this, but the fact is that the Barrier is becoming weaker. Creaks had started to appear about half a year ago, and with each month, they slowly expanded without stopping. It was not long before we found the first underworld spirits that had passed through the Barrier lurking in this World."

"For months we have been trying to catpure and return those underworld spirits that have wandered into our world, but their numbers are increasing even as we speak. Yuurei, Onryou and other spirits of the shadows are now roaming free our lands, leaving destruction and unbalance in their wake."

Kochou shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "And yet she still has the power to attack an offendor of hers."

She was referring to the Kami of the Wisteria. Chihiro could comprehend why the fox lady said so, what that Kami was doing was quite contradictory: Why attack an enemy when your own powers are failing you? It was clear from what Kochou told them that this Kami was clearly in no state in doing so, even going as far as weaking the barrier she should be sustaining.

Her eyes then came at a stop on Haku. He was looking away, frowning slightly at the shouji windows, his own jaded eyes now as pensive and as far as his thoughts could get him. From his lips, four words and a name barely escaped them in a whisper:

"Fuji-hime... What are you plotting...?"

She watched him as he closed his eyes for a moment, then turned again towards the rest of them.

"In any case, Kochou-dono, it would be best for you to go and rest; your wounds are still not fully healed, as I presume. I thank you for having given me such important information."

Kochou the Kitsune bowed again, hands pressed together before her, and she muttered, "It is my duty to report and inform, Haku-sama. I hope it has been a help."

And with this said, the kitsune stood up. But after having reached the shouji, she hesitated.

"Otenmaru...?"

She didn't have to turn to see Haku lowering his head for a moment, the silence after her question was an answer enough.

"I see..." she barely whispered; her head lowered. "I hope... he will be able to rest in peace..."

After her last words, she was gone with another profound bow, leaving an earie silence after her. It was then broken only by a sigh from Haku.

"Rin," he called, one his hands at his temple. "Would please go and fetch the others for me?"

Rin rolled her eyes, her arms crossed.

"Always, Haku-_sama_." She said dryly in a mock tone, making a considerable emphasize on the ending -sama. "Right away!"

And as she slid the door open, Chihiro could have sworn she was muttering threats under her breath and, though they were hushed up to hear, she distinctly heard "... and since when has he returned as the "Great Master Haku"?", before the snap of the shouji cut everything else out of earshot.

Chihiro tried not make any strange noise. She slowly looked towards Haku.

Now, they were alone.

* * *

**Sorry if this was a bit confusing! If you didn't understand something, just ask!^^ Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Yeah, can't deny that quite a lot was said here... And remeber, reviews are absolutely loved, so please review! ^^**


	8. Chapter 8: Atarashiki Toushu

**A/N: Yes! Chp.8 is finally finished! And even within eight days! It's like any realy christmas present (speaking of which, we're not that far from it!^^). Right, I'll cut the nonsense here and say: please enjoy!^^**

**Translation Notes:  
****Uso yo...: It's a lie...  
****Ne, Haku, watashi no kioku wo kakushita no wa, anata nano...?: Haku, is it you who has hidden my memories...?  
****Sumanakatta. Kowai omoi wo sasete shimattane.: I'm sorry. You must have been frightened.  
****Oi, tsurete kite yatta zo!: Oi, I've brought them here for you!  
****Ko..Kore wa Haku-sama!: But why, this is Master Haku!  
****Okaeri nasaimase! Gobusata shite oraremashitaka?: a very formal and respectful way of saying "welcome back! Were you doing well?"  
****Ane-yaku no Tomi to moushimasu: I am Tomi, the Ane-yaku  
****Onajiku, Imouto-yaku no Kiku to moushimasu. Douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu: Same as Tomi, I am Kiku, the Imouto-yaku. Pleased to make your acquaintance.  
****Ano... watashi, kaerasasete moraimasu!: Um, I'd like to go back!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Atarashiki Toushu - New Govenor

"Chihiro, what's wrong?"

As Haku's voice reached her ears, Chihiro's eyes slightly widened. She looked up from the floor she had been staring for the past ten minutes.

"No... Nothing." she said, a bit too frettily.

She desperately tried to avoid those eyes. Her eyes traveled along the room, striving to find an interesting point where to settle upon. Unfourtunately, they always landed on Haku each time she tried.

Haku was still regarding her, a worried expression tainting his features. He shook his head.

"Something is troubling you, I can see that." These words were even more troubling than the previous ones.

Chihiro lowered her eyes again. _'The person who's troubling me is you...'_ Her thoughts whispered in her mind, yet her lips remained sealed.

She faintly heared the brushing of clothes and the soft steps on the tatami as Haku slowly came towards her. Her hands in her lap began trembling yet again, and she had to grip them even more tightly to stop the tremor.

Haku crouched down right before her, and yet she still refused to look up.

"Chihiro," he called gently. "Chihiro! Look at me."

And, though unwillingly, she did, even though she allowed her gaze to travel upwards and stop on the point just above his shoulder. Everything to escape those eyes...

"Look at me, Chihiro." Haku pressed even more gently. She hated how his voice made her shiver inwardly. "Look into my eyes."

By now, Haku had placed both hands on her shoulders. She couldn't escape. Not anymore.

Slowly, she let her eyes meet his. Slowly, she let herself stare into those swirling pools of jade.

"What's wrong, Chihiro?" Haku breathed softy.

The words and their meaning sank into her little by little, making her head move even more slowly. She tried hard to fight the drowning feeling as she gazed up him. And she strived to find something to say.

"I... The office..." she barely uttered. "The blood..."

She saw realization and comprehension enter his eyes.

_'Uso yo...'_

Then the light of pain expanded in those jaded orbs. He lowered his head for fraction of a second, anger crossing his face, then was again gazing down at her. One of his hands left her shoulder and traveled up to her cheek, touching it lightly.

_'Ne, Haku...'_

At his touch, a shiver ran down her back, and as if triggering something, tears began to well up in her eyes and slide down silently.

Though those tears were not because of what she had just said.

_'...watashi no kioku wo kakushita no wa...'_

"Sumanakatta." She heared him whisper. "Kowai omoi wo sasete shimattane."

His arms were now around her, pulling her into a hug.

_'...anata nano...?'_

* * *

The shouji door opened at an exceptionate speed, revealing Rin and a several other people, or better to say, spirits, standing behind it.

"Oi! Tsurete kite yatta zo!" Rin's loud voice sounded effortlessly across the room, startling both Haku and Chihiro.

The spirit girl stepped in and made her way into the room, closely followed by six other spirits: A small, stout spirit with the face closely resembling an oversized human frog, garbed in an orange hakama and a green eboshi; another frog-resembling spirit, garbed in azzure and wearing a purple hat; a real frog, small and in a short blue tunic; the eight legged Kamajii, a spirit woman in shirabyoushi-styled clothes and lastly, another female spirit, garbed in a simple colourful kimono and who looked like she had no more than a few years more than Chihiro herself.

As they entered, the young spirit girl smiled brightly and winked at Chihiro, her dark, round eyes twinkling, and giving Chihiro a slight start.

All six of them went to sit infront of them, Rin sitting herself at the side. The first to speak was the spirit in orange.

"Ko...Kore wa Haku-sama!" He cried, instantly bending his head down in sign of respect. "Okaeri nasai mase! Gobusata shite oraremashitaka?"

The others too bowed down their heads, welcoming Haku back, though the two female spirits slightly hesitated before doing so.

"Thank you, Chichiyaku-dono."Haku returned, smiling. "I hope you too were doing well."

"Fine, fine!" Chichiyaku said, sitting up. His eyes then stopped on Chihiro. "And... oh my! Is that Sen?!"

Sen. Again, that name.

Chihiro forced herself to smile as everybody else stared for a moment at her in disbelief, then began to greet and welcome her back with enthusiasm. The frog spirit came as far as to jump up and down with happiness.

All seemed merry and cheerful... Only Chihiro couldn't bring herself to smile a full smile.

She had been here...! This was the proof of it! But where had all her memories about this place gone...? Was it as that boy said on the balcony...?

Finally, to Chihiro's inner relief, the welcoming ceased and Haku was able to say, "I see you have acquired two new managers since my leave."

He was referring to the two female workers.

The Chihiyaku nodded and made sign to the two to come closer, the other two frog spirits shuffling to the sides to make space.

"Indeed," he said. "Only a few years ago, Yubaaba-sama introduced two new adminitstrating positions at the Aburaya: The Ane-yaku and the Imouto-yaku, both who supervise the service and entertainment of the guests."

The spirit girl in the red kimono was the first to bow. "Ane-yaku no Tomi to moushimasu."

Not long after her, the older one followed. "Onajiku, Imouto-yaku no Kiku to moushimasu. Douzo yorishiku onegai itashimasu."

A light of recognition crossed Haku's face.

"Ah yes," he said, nodding as he remembered. "Of course! Kiku and Tomi. You were both still working as yunas when I was still apprentice. Congratulations to both of you!"

Though while both Kiku and Tomi bowed again, Chihiro had to wonder why it was not Kiku to be the Ane-yaku and Tomi the Imouto-yaku, as their sepearate ages seemed not to fit with their positions.

Haku turned to the Chichi-yaku, his face becoming serious.

"So, has Rin told you anything along the way?" he asked.

The foreman turned his head side ways. "Ah, well... She only told us that Yubaaba-sama is not here at the moment. That is all."

Haku sighed, giving Rin a slightly reproachful look and which earned him a demanding scowl from her. He shook his head.

"That is not all. You see, Yubaaba has been attacked, along with her sister, Zeniiba, up in her office room not long ago."

His words wiped the smile off every other face which still bore one. As he went on describing what they had found, horror and shock soon began to enter each face, including Kamajii and Rin's.

Haku told them eveything, though he did leave out the bit in which Kochou had revealed about the Barrier. When he finished, there was a deadly silence. The revealed truth had, undoubtely and understandably, shocked everyone.

"So in other words, we are without a Governor."

It was Tomi who had spoken. Kiku looked at her slightly surprised, as if she had been taken aback by the calmness of her superiour's words, her lips hanging slightly apart.

"Well, I don't see what's so much of a problem!"

Everyone turned to look at Rin, some, like the frog spirit, out right goggled at her as if she were mad.

Rin shrugged. "I mean, the old bat's been coming and going for the past ten years! What difference does it make now if she's here or not?"

The Chichiyaku sighed in a visibly hopless way, but Kamajii got the better of him.

"Rin," the eight legged spirit shook his head. "You are underestimating the gravity of this situation! Though she may have left every now and then, Yubaaba has never left this bathhouse for more than a day, let alone unattended! What do you think would happen now that no one is controlling the Aburaya?"

The spirit girl shurgged again, her face baring a mild expression of "as if I cared".

"I suppose you administrators'd give us workers the usual orders, and we do what we usually do. At least," She added, more grimly. "_I_ will. It's not as if Yubaaba's disapperance is going to make a great difference to me, and neither will it to the others, as far as they're concerned."

At this point, Tomi, who had been listening to Rin's words with a doubtful as well as an annoyed expression, finally said, "Then, what will _we_ do?"

Having now caught Rin's attention, as well as the others', the Ane-yaku continued.

"Should we administrators take orders from an empty chair in an empty office? What will we do when there are complications? No one will be there to give us straight orders and tell us what to do!"

She shook her head. "No, we need a substitute Govenor and fast." She looked around, her eyes stopping for a moment on each face, including Chihiro's. "Must I remind you that we have barely a few more hours before the bathhouse opens?"

"Then, as you sound so sure of yourself, who will fill up such a high position?" Haku asked, finally opening his mouth after in minutes of complete silence. "Surely you must have someone in mind?"

Tomi did not respond in a hurry; she let the rest have a moment for thinking, all the while a coil smirk tinting her cherry red lips. Then, she answered,

"But why, Haku-sama, it would be you."

There came utter silence, in which both Haku and Chihiro blinked once in surprise. Though, surprisingly, the other spirits were not at all taken by surprise. Indeed, some were even nodding in comprehension.

"Me?" Haku still seemed not to have grasped the meaning of Tomi's words.

Chihiro couldn't believe her ears. _'Don't tell he hadn't seen this coming!?'_ she thought, incredulous that Haku had not even suspected to be a candidate for such a postion. Resigned or not resigned, the fact that Haku had been Yubaaba's apprentice for years did not change, something which even which Chihiro had understood.

"Me as your Govenor?" Haku uttered again, astonishment still colouring his voice.

Tomi nodded. "Yes, you Haku-sama. You have been, until a few years ago, Yubaaba's only apprentice, you came as far as being called her "right hand". It seems only natural in such a time of crises that you should take her place. Though, of course, for the time being."

"But I am not her apprentice anymore." Haku wisely pointed out. "I left, as you said, this bathhouse years ago. I am no more a member of the Aburaya; I do not even have contract anymore!"

Again, Chihiro wondered why she had the feeling that Haku was desperately avoiding to become Govenor.

Tomi smiled and gave a quick side glance at the Chichi-yaku. "Oh, I don't think that will much of a problem. I believe the Chichi-yaku will be able to make a special contract for this case, won't you, Chichi-yaku?"

The Chichiyaku hesistated for a moment, before nodding in assentment. "It is not impossible."

In hearing the foreman's reply, Tomi beamed, undoubtedly pleased. "Well then, I think it's decide-"

"Wait."

All of them, except maybe Chihiro, looked around to stare at the dragon boy, as if they hadn't expected him to object.

"You can't make me your Govenor," he continued, his voice firm, yet Chihiro could still hear something else. Could it be anxiety...? "Not until you have my consense, at any rate."

The spirits looked quite astonished, if not taken aback. From their reaction, it seemed that the thought that Haku was not too willing to become their Govenor had not once crossed their minds.

Tomi was the first to recover. She closed her dark brown eyes for a moment, bowing her head at Haku.

"I apologize, then." she said. "Would the rearanging of my words earn me forgivingness, prehaps? If so, then: Haku-sama, will you accept and become the new Govenor of the Aburaya?"

Chihiro could now see why she had been assigned the Ane-yaku and not the Imouto-yaku: She was clever as well as a quick thinker; even in such a situation as this where even the Chichi-yaku was at a loss at what to do, Tomi was able to take matters into her own hands and think out a quick and efficent solution. No wonder she had such a high postion.

Her gaze then traveled from the bowing Tomi to Haku, whom now wore one of most expressionless expression she had ever set her eyes upon. Impossible to tell what he was thinking right in that moment.

And, apparently, she wasn't the only one who couldn't make out what Haku would say next, as everybody else was holding their breath, waiting.

Then, Haku made a deep, long sigh, and finally nodded. "Very well. I will."

Instantly, the air in the room became lighter as the rest of the spirits inwardly sighed in relief. Tomi nodded.

"Arigatou gozaimasu." She uttered, incling her head again at him. Once after she had sat up, she continued in a more business like tone. "Now then, Master Haku, what are your orders?"

It was clear that she had taken the complete controll of the situation. The other sprits

Haku took another deep sigh, then, after he had reflected for a moment, he said,

"Firstly, we must make sure no other member of this bathhouse, other than the nine of us here, knows of Yubaaba's disappearance or the attack. If even the rumour of the attack reaches the workers' ears, it will spread like wild fire and by next night, the bathhouse will have fallen into an unstable situtation. So, no word to anyone, is that understood?"

The spirits all nodded.

"You too, Rin?" Haku looked straight at the spirit girl. "Can I count on your silence too?"

Rin rolled her eyes. "What? Yeah, 'course, Haku-_sama_."

Haku nodded, then returned his gaze to the rest of the spirits before him. "Well, other than that, I don't see why you should not work as usual. Unless there will be any further complications later, I think we can close this meeting."

Again, the bathhouse administrators inclined their heads in assentement.

"Oh and," Haku added, addressing none of them in particular. "Please see that no worker comes up and enters the office. Tell them that Yubaaba is currently absent, that will give them reason enough not to enter."

The Chichi-yaku nodded. "Very well. How shall we explain your prescence here, sir?"

At this question, Haku gave him a slightly wry smile. "Tell them what you want. Unless it is something unbelievable, I have no objections."

"As you wish."

"Then, I think you-" Haku was about to dismiss them when, suddenly, he was cut off.

"Ano..."

It was Chihiro. All of a sudden, as if they all had remembered that she had been there, the others were looking at her.

"Ano, watashi, kaerasasete moraimasu!"

* * *

**Ok, sorry for the huge cliffhanger! But it just had to end like this, sorry! ^^ Oh, and just as a fun fact: Tomi and Kiku, they're not entirely OCs, you know? I borrowed their names from that table from where Rin and Chii took their name tags, and Tomi is actually briefly seen in that very scene. If you look closely, she's the spirit with the red kimono who was talking to the one holding the black box. Kiku is seen at the entrace of the bathhouse when Yubaaba and co. are waiting the stink spirit's arrival. Just a fun fact.  
****Right then, as usual, please review, because they're the best thing in the world!^^**


	9. Chapter 9: Ichido atta Koto wa Wasurenai

**A/N: Chp.9 is finally finshed! Today's chapter title is a little quote from one of our Spirited Away characters... Can you remember? Anyway, let's see if Chihiro will really go home... Enjoy!^^**

**Translation Notes:  
****Sen wo tanonda zo, Haku-**_**sama**_** yo: Take care of Sen, **_**Master**_** Haku.  
****Syounara, Haku-san: Goodbya, Haku-san.**

* * *

Chapter 9 : Ichido atta Koto wa Wasurenai Mono - Something that Has Once Happened is Never Forgotten

"There you go!" Rin said, popping a bundle of neatly stacked clothes into her arms. "All of your clothes! Though I didn't really get to sew them up..."

Chihiro shook her head, looking down at her uniform. "Oh no, Rin-san. I have to thank you for just having washed them."

They were again in the same room in which Chihiro had woken up for the first time since her arrival at the bathhouse. Chihiro quickly changed from the salmon pink hakama she had been borrowing into her now worn out school uniform. As she began to adjust the necktie, Rin abruptly plumeted down, crossed legged, onto the futon at their feet.

"Are you seriously going back?" she asked, chin on her elbows and wearing an exeptionally resigned face. "You've only been here since yesterday!"

Not waiting for Chihiro's answer, Rin went on. "But... who would have ever have thought that you would forget everything about us..."

Chihiro's hands stopped for a moment. Then,

"Gomen nasai."

"Wha?" Rin looked up at her, surprised at her sudden apology. "Why are you apologizing? You're not to blame!"

Chihiro looked away, hiding her face under her fringe.

"But..." the feeble words of an retort escaped her lips, which she subsequently bit down. Her hand, which had been until now clutching loosley the tie, began to grip the cloth even more tightly.

She felt so frustrated... Just why couldn't she remember?!

Seeing her in such a state, Rin decided that she had enough of it.

"Oi!" she said, abruptly, smacking her on the back and making her nearly fall down to the floor by the force of it. Chihiro looked in surprsise, not sure what to think. By now, Rin had stood up and had taken her by both shoulders.

"Stop working youreslf up, all right? It's not your fault that you can't remember, so don't feel bad about it." The spirit girl said flatly. Then, after a second thought, she added, "And don't you dare force yourself to remember. That's the worst thing you can in such a situation, 'kay?"

Rin was looking her with such an intensity, something which Chihiro hadn't at all associated her with, that she felt laughter bubble up her throat. And suddenly, she was smiling and laughing slightly.

"Wha... what?" Rin asked, suddenly awkward and offensive at once. "Did I say something strange?"

But Chihiro was shacking her head.

"No...! It's just...," she sniffed. She hadn't even noticed that she had been crying! "It's just that I thought that you have a gentle part too, Rin-san...!"

Her words startled Rin so much that the spirit girl didn't quite find somthing to retort. Instead, she blinked several times, and, each time she did so, her cheeks became a tone more pinker. At last, she gave out an indignant snort, faking her offended response.

"Why you...!" She let Chihiro go and spun around, crossing her arms. "I can't believe it..!?"

But Chihiro was not fooled. She knew that Rin was only playing around, so she let a snicker escape her.

"Anyway," Rin said, after a sigh, turning to look at her again. "Did ya hear me? Don't force yourself."

And again, Chihiro nodded, her smile fading. "I promise."

She wondered why she could talk with Rin about her memories in such a smooth way and yet with Haku... _'With him I always get so worked up...'_ she thought, slightly bitterly. What was going on with her...?

And as if right on cue, there came a slightly muffled voice from the other side of the shouji door.

"Chihiro? Can I come in?"

Both of them turned at Haku's voice, Rin ending up sighing as they did so.

"Well, Dragon Boy has finally decided to come and fetch you, eh Sen?" Rin said to her. Her expression became sader. "Have a safe return, then. Let's hope that next time you come back, you'll remember, eh?"

Chihiro smiled and nodded in return. But before she could say anything, Rin had already walked up to the door and slid it open, revealing Haku standing just behind it.

Passing him, she muttered in a mocking tone, "Sen wo tanonda zo, Haku-_sama_ yo..."

Then, she was off, her long liquid brown hair swishing back and forth behind as she did so. After Rin had well gone, Haku turned to look at Chihiro for the first time.

"You changed." he said with a considerable tone of coolness.

Chihiro nodded, slowly, not answering him. She suddenly had the sudden desire to look anywhere else other than Haku. She felt as if something were knawing at her stomach every time she set her eyes upon him, ever since she had told him she wished to go back.

And soon she was able to give this knawing feeling a name: Guilt.

Somehow, she felt guilty in going home. But why...? Why should she feel guily in leaving this place, this world? After all, it had stolen away her memories, making her more unsure and confused than ever.

But no matter how much she tried to convince herself that she shouldn't be feeling guilty in any way, that knawing feeling would not let itself be quenched. And when she looked at Haku, it would become even stronger.

"Then follow me," Haku continued, turning sideways and indicating to follow. "I will escort you to the gateway."

Chihiro hesiated, then followed.

* * *

The wind was whistling, the clouds hung grey and menacing in the skies. In the far distance, coming from beyond the bare mountains, was a black ryuu, horned and red mained, it's snake like body moving gracefully through the air as it sped towards a large temple, the only building still standing within a miles range. And riding the dragon was the fox-masked girl, her dark hair whipping about.

It did not take long for them to reach the temple. As soon as the tall pagoda was in sight, the dragon began to descend rapidly, not once slowing down.

They would have crashed right into the front doors, but before they could make any collision, the dragon made a sharp turn at the last second, narrowly missing the withered trees near by, and landed gracefully onto it's four legs.

The girl didn't even wait until the ryuu had complete touched the ground: When only a few feet seperated them from the ground, she jumped, dropping down like a cat. A few moments later, the same boy from the terrace was standing at her side, looking slightly winded.

"Come on," the girl said to her companion, impatience thick in her muffled voice. She nodded at the doors of the temple. "She will be waiting; we are already late!"

The dragon boy rolled his eyes, but nodded.

"Humans...!" He muttered under his breath, before following the girl and into the temple. Inside, there was only one long corridor leading to a set of red double doors at the end of it.

While they strode though the hallway, the girl ubruptly asked,

"Why did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"That her memories are sealed."

The boy shrugged. "Just felt like it. It doesn't make much difference whether she knows about it or not, does it?"

"We were just supposed to take a strand of her hair, not make a friendly conversation with her!" The masked girl snapped back, annoyed. She huffed again and, after having second thoughts, added, "You _do_ have the strand, don't you?"

The boy sighed, then reached into the sleeve of his tunic. His hand came out closed on something which, after he had opened his palm, was revealed to be a thin strand of dark brown hair, carefully wrapped up and gathered by a slim piece of paper.

"Happy now?" he asked, while the girl seemed to eye his palm suspisciously.

Finally, she nodded and he put the strand back away.

"And anyway," he continued, keeping his tone light and converstaional. "By telling her, I just did the Lady a favour."

"And that would be...?"

They had come to the end of the corridor and stopped infront of the massive red painted double doors. The boy turned to the girl, his ruby red eyes flashing with malice as a smile began to play on his lips.

"I planted the seed of doubt into Ogino Chihiro's mind." he said softly, before swinging the doors open.

* * *

"Chihiro...?"

They had been walking in silence, weaving in and out of corridors and closed rooms, when Haku came at a sudden stop. He turned to face her and she deviously avoided any eyeconntact.

"Yes?"

"I would like you to reconsider leaving the bathhouse." His words made her eyes widen in astonishment.

But instead of anwsering straight forward, she turned to look at the landscape before them, as they were currently passing a corridor which faced the open. To their left were a couple of rooms from which snors were to be heared. Probably the spirit worker's dorms. Who would have ever thought that spirits slept during the day...?

Outside, a landscape of vast, grassy plains, dotted here and there by small lakes was to be seen. The sky was clouded, the greyish clouds whispering upcoming spring floods.

And while she let her gaze skim such lands, she finally asked quietly,

"Why? Why do you say that?" Her calm and even tone took even herself by surprise. "Don't I have the right to go back to my own world?"

Haku shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face.

"It's not what you think... Chihiro, someone is looking for you! The Fuji no Kami is seeking you and she won't rest until she has found you!" Haku said, his voice becoming stronger. "Those Inugami that attacked you at the gateway, they were sent to get to _you_!"

Chihiro blinked, then frowned. "Are you saying that the Fuji no Kami looking for me? Why?"

Again, the dragon boy shook his head. "I don't know. But, Chihiro,"

His hand was suddenly on her shoulder, forcing her to turn and face him. When she did so, she suddenly found Haku's face inches before her own, wearing a deadly serious expression.

"If you go out there," He continued, searching her eyes with his own. "She will find you, Chihiro."

This time, it was Chihiro's turn to shake her head. "But how do you know what she wants?! Just because she's looking for me doesn't automatically mean she will torture me or something, does it? For all you know, she could be trying to help me! "

Haku raised an eyebrow in hearing the last scentance. All of a sudden, she saw something dangerous flash across his eyes. Was it her immagination or had the grip on her shoulder tightened...?

"Oh, so you think that a person who's trying to help you, would send blood-beserk dog spirit after you?" he asked. The coolness in his voice made shivers run down her spine. Maybe she had pushed the boundries too far...?

But instead of backing off, she stuck her chin out in deffiance, pulling herself to her full height.

"So what if they attacked me? It's not their fault if they are blood beserk!" she retorted fiercely.

Only she didn't realize what stupid things she was just saying. Had she been more calmer, she would have realized that what she was saying was absoultely rubbish... Had she been calmer and in her right mind, that is.

But right in that moment, Chihiro was not in the best conditions to think properly. Somehow, she was beginning to feel intensely annoyed, as well as angry towards Haku. He hadn't made to stop her in anyway until this very moment; if he wanted so badly for her to stay at the bathhouse, then why hadn't he said so back then, when she had voiced her wish out, from the start?

"And anyway," she continued, without letting Haku even a chance to say something. "What does it matter to you what the Fuji no Kami wants with me or not? If you cared about so much, why didn't you tell me about my memories!? Why didn't you tell me the truth!?"

There. She had said it.

She stopped, short of breath. She hadn't realized that she was panting heavily, her heart beating wildly. She wrenched herself free from Haku's now slackened grip. Her words must have struck him dumb.

Chihiro looked at Haku and this time, she looked straight into his beautiful eyes, now wide with shock.

"Sayounara, Haku-san." she said, curtly, making a bow. "Thank you for accompanying me. From here, I can go alone."

And with these words, she passed him swiftly and went on walking, though with every step, she unconsciously fastened her pace, until she realized she was running.

From far behind, she heared the faint calling of her name.

"Chihiro...!"

But she didn't look back and neither slowed down. She just kept running, not caring where she was heading. For all she cared, she could get lost in the maze of corridors of this bathhouse.

_'Please, just stop calling my name...!'_

* * *

Finally, her pace slowed down and she came at a sudden stop. She leaned forward, her hands on knees as she panted heavily, catching her breath.

Silence greeted her as she finally began to take in her surroundings: another corridor with one side as a veranda, the glass window panes all closed but one, a few paces away from her.

She slowly made her way towards the crack between the two window panes and welcomed the fresh breeze that was coming through it, cooling down her warm cheeks.

She closed her eyes momentarily, relaxing.

After some time, open her eyes a crack and let them skim the scenery, again the same plains and lakes.

Now that she was alone, the scene with Haku began to replay itself in her now blank mind... And come to think of it, she had no idea why she had acted in such a way.

She sighed. But it was too late now. The damaged had already been done.

She began to gaze up into the skies, her elbows on the wooden rail for support. And while she stared aimlessly into the horrizon, clouds started to drift apart to reveal the crystal blue sky beneath them.

Her eyelids began to droop, very slowly, as she let herself drown into that small piece of azzure sky. She wandered why, but she had the strange feeling that she had gazed up at such a blue sky once before... Once, from the very same place...

And in that precise moment a scene entered her minds eye. It was blurred, but it was clear enough to see a blue sky and beneath it, water as blue as the ocean. Something, a white streak, seemed to move fast towards her and she was shouting something... a name...

She gasped as something within her, cracked.

And then, all of a sudden, Chihiro found herself falling. Falling deeply, through a dark place. At the bottom, she saw a round poilished glass surface, something which looked earily like a mirror. Around the mirror was a thick rope, red and shimmering, as if sealing it's contense securely beyond it's smooth glass pane.

She reached a hand towards the surface, and beyond, she saw images and flashes swirling around: Her memories.

The flash was over in less then a blink of an eye.

Chihiro opened her eyes, only to find herself crouching on the polished wooden floor of the corridor, her hands still clutching the banisters of the balcony. She the realized that she was crying, as silvery wet tears constantly slid down her cheeks and chin.

She could take no more.

Without warning, she bolted to her feet and broke into a run, only this time, her feet knew where they would be carrying her...

* * *

**Uh oh, where's Chihiro heading now? And what about those two at the temple? Who is the "Lady" they went to meet? And what will Haku do?!  
****Hope you liked the chapter; the neet one will be a bit more revealing, I promise! Until then, please do tell me what you think!^^**


	10. Chapter 10: Nogare

**A/N: And here's chp. 10! Hope you'll like it!**

**Translation Notes:  
****Arashi ni narisou ne: Looks like a storm is coming...  
****Minamo yo, ware no kagami to natte, ware no me to nare!: Water's surface, become Our mirror and eyes!**

* * *

Chapter 10: Nogare - Escaping

"Haku...!"

Haku blinked and turned to see Tomi walking down the corridor and towards him. Yes, the very same corridor in which Chihiro had...

He inwardly shook his head, then forced himself to smile. "Yes, Tomi?"

But unlike him, Tomi wore an exeptionally serious expression. "Where that girl, Haku? The human girl, the one who was with you just a few moments ago?"

His fake smile faltered.

"So, you overheared." he remarked quietly. "I see."

Tomi smiled grimly. "It wasn't too difficult. If you didn't want to be overheard, you should have thought of a better place. Anyway," she went on, meeting Haku's eyes. "Is it true what you said?"

He frowned. "About what?"

"That the Fuji no Kami is after the girl, Chihiro?" the Ane-yaku said impatienly. When she received a grave and reluctant nod, she silently cursed.

"Why didn't you go after!?" she hissed, throwning Haku a look of disbelief and anger. "Why didn't you stop her!?"

Her sudden words took Haku by surprise, but before he could answer in any way, Tomi had already gotten the better of him.

"Haku, don't you see!?" she cried, shacking her head in desperation. "Why do you think the Fuji no Kami attacked Yubaaba? Have you thought that the attack and Chihiro's arrival happening at the same time wasn't just a coincidence?"

As the meaning of Tomi's words began to weave their way into Haku's mind, he began to frown.

"Tomi... What are you...?"he said slowly, all the while raking his brains. And then it hit him, just as Tomi voiced out her conclusion.

"Don't you see? Yubaaba's attack was just a decoy! What the Fuji no Kami really wanted is-"

"Chihiro." he whispered. That was it. He needn't be told anything else.

He swiftly turned, silently cursing himself and his naiveness. He had let Chihiro go and now she was lamb among wolves. And all just because of him...

There was no time. He had to get to her before they did.

He looked around, searching for a quick way out of the bathhouse. But, unfortunately, they were currently in a corridor at the seventh or so floor and the only doors either led to the worker's dorms or...

_'Or the windows...!'_ he suddenly thought.

Without a moment's hesitation, he practically threw himself onto the windows and began to tug at them, trying desperately to open a crack wide enough for him to slip through.

When he saw that the wall-long windows had no intention what to so ever to budge even an inch, he turned furstratedly to Tomi.

"Help me!"

The Ane-yaku looked at the dragon as if he'd gone mad.

"What are you thinking!? You can't jump of the veranda, even if you _are_ a ryu!" she cried back.

Yet despite her words, the spirit girl stepped over and helped Haku, so that after a few moment's struggling, pushing and pulling, a set of windows stood wide open. As soon as this was done, Haku effortlessly heaved himself onto the wooden banister.

"Haku!" Tomi yelled, not caring whether the whole dormitory woke up or not. "Don't do anything reckless! If you make the Fuji no Kami your enemy-"

"She's been my enemy ever since she attacked Chihiro. I'll be back before nightfall," Haku said, his back towards Tomi and cutting her swiftly off. "In the meantime, take care of the bathhouse, understood?"

And without waiting a response, he let go of the banister and let gravity take his weight, disappearing.

Tomi let out a soft cry and lunged herself forward, only to see the white streak of a dragon climbing the skies ever faster.

"Dragons!" she hissed quietly. "Always dumping duties onto the others...!"

Her gaze fell upon the darkening sky and she suddenly became aware of the howling winds which made her sleek black hair dance around her.

She looked around again dubiously. "Arashi ni narisou ne..."

The Ane-yaku turned away from the open window and began to close them, just as a shouji door from behind, slid open.

"And what was all that about, Tomi?" Rin asked, all but sleepy.

* * *

Her feet finally came at a stop before wide stone steps which led onto a vast field. Ahead of her, she saw a tall red building, which looked much like a clock tower, and beyond, a landscape full of green mountains.

She shivered. She was still panting and sweating from head to foot, as she had been running until this very moment, and the fresh spring wind didn't help much.

She didn't know why she had been dragged into this world, the Spirit World, the world of all supernatural and spiritual beings and a world in which she, as a human being, did not belong to.

She didn't know why the Fuji no Kami was after her; what she wanted. Nor did she know why she lost her memories of this place.

She gripped her sweaty palms.

But she knew one thing. These were her problems, and her's alone. She wouldn't be going to ask help from people she couldn't decided whether to trust them or not. And even so, from what Chihiro had understood, they had better things to think of. Having stray underworld spirits on the loose and a witch governor to find, they had enough to handle with and a human girl with amnesia was probably the last thing they'd want to cope with in that moment.

Her eyes scanned the plains again, then came to rest upon the red clock tower.

She would go home. At least, to assure her family that she was all right, that nothing had happened. They probably wouldn't believe her if she told them that she had been spirited away. Then she would reassume her normal life and everything would go back to normality...

_'Normality...'_ The word echoed in her head and her heart made an uneasy twitch.

No more strange spirits or kami, no more cackling granny shaped knockers or eight legged spirits will be seen. A life without a bathhouse for kamis, without snarling inugami ready to tear her to shreds and... a life without _him_.

She instantly pushed away the thought. She knew only too well the effects which such thoughts had on her. And she knew that, if she thought one more time about him, her feet would probably never make one step forward again.

It was stronger than her. Try as she might, her thoughts always ended upon one ceratin dragon boy named Haku. It was as if he was the key to all her problems.

_'Well maybe he _is_,'_ a small, unbiest and nasty little voice in a corner of her mind whispered. _'Maybe it's just like that boy said and _he_ was the one who took away your memories...'_

She shook her head, trying to get rid of that voice. And anyway, it didn't matter whether it was indeed him or not. Not any more, at any rate. They probably won't ever meet again.

Chihiro looked up, her face set. It didn't matter anymore. She would be going home in any case.

Her chocolate brown gaze suddenly stopped on the sky and she frowned. She would have sworn that, only moments ago, the sky had been of a clear blue. Now, it was turning suddenly into a yellowish orange, as if dusk had decided to come early. In the far east, grey clouds heavy with rain were to be seen, and were coming closer with exeptional speed.

She turned to look, again, at the tower. She had to hurry; it was only too clear that a storm was coming. But as she took her first step, the small voice was whispering yet agin in her mind,

_'Are you sure, Chihiro...? It's not yet too late; you can still go back...!'_

Her foot met the stone step and she let herself go down. No, it was too late; she couldn't go back.

_'What about your memories...?'_

Her memories... For her memories, she would eventually find out a way to remember. She didn't want any help. She wanted to deal to with her problems on her own...

* * *

The large crimson painted doors swung inwards and instantly, red bleary light pooled out, blinding the two for a fraction of a second. But they did not wait for the eyes to adjust to the new light.

Slowly, they stepped in and began to make their way towards the center of what could have been described as hall, circular in width and vast in length: The heart of the pagoda.

And luckily it _was_ tall as right in the middle of the extensive clearing, just behind a rocked rimmed pond, stood one single and enormous tree. It's dark and knotted trunk, in a slightly tilted position, was wide enough for a dozen of adults to circle it and it's countless branches, no less thick than the trunk, spread themselves out to the full expansion, reaching and going beyond the many storeys lining the side of the temple. Infact, the branches had expanded so much that tall wooden pillars had been stationed to support them.

But the impressing thing about this ancient tree was not exactly it's size as much as to what it's sprays carried: Thousands of flower buds of pale violet, pink and purple, hung perpendicularly from their stems, their rich and subtle scent thick in the air.

A wisteria tree.

From somewhere, a light breeze blew and made the many buds sway gently back and forth; pale violet petals began to flutter and rain down, settling upon the already petal strewn ground, the mirror like surface of the stilled waters of the pond, and upon a frail figure, lying against the trunk of the ancient tree.

This figure was a woman, garbed in beautiful kimono composed of many long and flowing layers, all of different shades of violet. Her equally long and sleek hair pooled down a thin, graceful and exquisite face and spread itself around her like a cascade of shimmering black water.

The woman seemed to be in a deep slumber, as her long-lashed eyelids were closed and her chest was heaving very slowly, but no sooner had the two crossed the small wooden brdge which hung across the pond, that her eyelids flew open, revealing orbs of the palest purple, near as to the colour of thistle, behind them. On her forehead, just above above and between her thin eyebrows, was a purple marking of the shape of the wisteria flower.

"Finally..." She uttered, her voice frail yet stong at the same time. "Have you brought me what you I sent for?"

The boy nodded and took the strand out from his tunic. "Here it is, my Lady."

The Lady nodded. Then, turning to the girl, she beckoned her. "Come nearer, Priestess."

Bowing, the masked girl strode the few feet which seperated them from the lady and, once reached her, she crouched down only a few inches away from her mistress's face.

The Kami of the Wisteria slowly reached out a slim hand and touched the side of the girl's mask. The air rippled with magic and the slits in the white kitsune mask glowed brightly, before returning dark again.

Then, as if an invisible hand had untied the thin red strings behind the girl's head, the kitsune mask fell to the ground with a clutter. The lady's hand slumped down and back to her side, her eyes closing.

Now that her face was bare, the girl's facial features were reaveled: She now bared thin purple markings below each of eye and the same purple marking of the Kami on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and revealed bright purple eyes, competely devoid of pupils.

She stood up, tossing her hair and releasing a sigh of relief.

"_Ah... It has been too long since I was free of my tired body..._" she said. Even her voice seemed to have changed, now sounding closely like the Kami's voice. "_My, it is indeed a delightful change!_"

She had been possed by the Fuji no Kami.

The deity turned to the boy, who was still crouching down on the bridge. "_What news do you bring, Kuroryu? I take it that you have fullfilled by second order, have you not?_"

The dragon boy nodded. "Yes, my Lady. As my Lady had ordered, I and the Priestess attacked the Aburaya's govenor, along with her twin sister. However, they unfourtunately escaped."

The Kami waved a hand in dismissal. "_No matter. They were never my prior intentions in any case, though it certainly would not have harmed to have them both eliminated from the game beforehand..._"

She laid her hand on her cheek pensively, regarding for a moment the young dragon before her.

"_You have met the Miko._" she remarked, after while. "_Her human scent is reeking from both you and the Priestess._" She neared towards dragon and when she was close enough, she slipped a finger under his chin, making him glance up at her.

"_Tell me, Dragon,_" she said softly, her pupiless gaze meeting the ruby red one of the boy. "_What did you tell her?_"

The dragon boy's lips became very thin. "I told her that her memories have been sealed away, and that the culprit could be right under her very nose."

The Fuji no Kami smiled, then nodded in comprehension. "_How clever. So you tipped the odds in my favour. One more thing: How was the Awakening proceeding?_"

After a pause, during which the boy recalled the meeting with Ogino Chihiro, he shook his head. "I could not perceive any growth of powers, my Lady."

"_I see._"

With a slight disappointed look, the goddess retreated, heading instead for the banks of the pond. There, she let herself lie down and reached out a hand, touching the smooth untouched surface of the water. Once single ripple spread acroos the water.

"_Minamo yo, ware no kagami to natte, ware no me to nare!_" she chanted in a whisper.

For a fraction of a second, her eyes glowed. Then, slowly, the image of a vast green plain was to be seen. And at the center, a girl was beginning to make her way towards fields, unbeknownst of what was tailing her.

"_In such case,_" she said in a louder voice. A smile began to play on her small lips. "_We must start to awaken them, do we not..._" She turned to the dragon. "..._Kuro?_"

* * *

She took another step and began to descend down onto the plains. Already, the wind had picked up spead and began howling in her ears, scattering leaves and petals in every direction and whipping her hair into her face.

Then, without warning, she heard something from behind that made her heart freeze.

Something she had heard not too long ago, a sound that stood for itself: A snarl.

Chihiro's mind went blank as paper, but she didn't wait for anything else: She bolted forward and began to sprint down the remaing steps two at a time. Once reached the grassy plain, she instanly broke into a run, heading straight towards the clock building.

She needn't look back to have a confermation of her worst fears; she soon hearded galopping paws behind, chasing after her.

She didn't dare look backwards. If she did, she was as good as dead. She only kept running...

The first droplets of rain fell down from the skies, closely followed by a merciless shower of cold, freezing rain. Puddles began to form not long after and soaked the ground until it became all muddy and slippery, the grass making it even worse.

And through this pandemonium, Chihiro ran, never once stoping for breath. She only could pray not to slip or fall down, because if she did, she knew that this time, there would be no one there to help her.

She just kept her eyes focused on the clock tower, despite the rain blurring her vision considerably. If she managed to reach that building, then she might be able to...

The ground suddenly went downwards and she realized, only a second too late, that she had been running on a slope. Taken by surprise, the only thing she could do was to brace herself.

The impact was much more painful than she had expected. She cried out in pain as she half dropped, half rolled down the slope, and ended in heap on the muddy ground, breath knocked out of her.

_'Move Chihiro!'_ her mind screamed at her. _'If you don't, you're finished!'_

But she _was_ finished, already! She couldn't move; each and every limb was trembling and screaming. She had reached her limits!

Then, from far, far away, she heard a strange sound. It was neither the howling nor the barking of the inugami, more like a roar... Wait, a roar...?

Chihiro managed to raise her eyes ever so slightly, only to see moving blurs of white and black just above the slope.

And then, she heard a voice, strong and very familiar, sounding in her head. _'Chihiro, hurry and get into the Gateway! I'll hold them off...!'_

As if working wonders, Haku's voice managed to bring Chihiro back to her senses.

Gathering her last strength, Chihiro heaved herself from the murky ground and gingerly began to make her way towards the entrance. And though wincing in pain and limping, she finally managed to reach the great red arch.

And as she stepped over the threshold, she felt her strength leave her and she fell forwards, slumping down onto the cold marble floor.

Now she was safe. Or so she thought...

* * *

**And here we finally get a glimpse of the Fuji no Kami! And what (or who) will Chihiro encounter in the Gateway...?  
****Hope you enjoyed this chappie, as I myself had quite fun in writing the various scenes. Please do review and tell me what you think; critique is also welcomed, but please be nice!^^**


	11. Chapter 11: Jigen no Hazama de

**A/N: Sorry guys for the so late update! I had another case of writer's block... But I think I'm back again on my tracks.^^ Please enjoy and sorry for the lame writing!**

**Translation Notes:  
****Anata wa dare?: Who are you?  
****Nue: a kind of chimera, with the head of a monkey, the body of a racoon dog, the legs of a tiger and a snake as a tail.**

* * *

Chapter 11: Jigen no Hazama de - In Between Dimensions

Darkness surrounded her. Coldness seeped into her, even though no winds were blowing. The only sound which greeted her ears was the absolute and deathly silence. The air which she dearly breathed in, wreaked of death.

She opened her eyes, only to find a dark abyss of nothingness staring emptily back at her.

Her eyes scanned desperately for a source of light... Anything that could breach the black emptyness that had surrounded her...!

They came at a stop upon a tiny white dot. Her heart lept.

Without a second's hesitation, she bolted towards that tiny dot, that small and sole light shining in this obscure place...

With every leap she made, the small dot became larger and brighter, until she was standing below a wide hole from which bright yellow light poured in, cutting the shadows like a thin blade.

Chihiro looked up, squinting up in the light in the hopes of seeing something beyond the opening.

Nothing. Only endless white light.

She felt wind stir up around her, caressing her skin and playing with her hair. And then a presence, watching from behind...

She slowly turned and found a strange figure, whose features were blurred by the flood of brightness, floating in mid air mere feet apart from her. Stepping closer and after her eyes had adjusted to the light, she was able to make out first the outline, then the clear features of a woman.

A very beautiful woman, too, her shimmering raven black hair, cut evenly, and flowing kimono of many layers floating and fluttering around her like waves. She wore a fox mask, concealing her facial features.

But then, the mask slipped gracefully from the woman's face and glided gently towards the floor, as if gravity never excisted. It hit the ground and shattered into thousands of splinters, yet no sound was to be heard.

But Chihiro didn't notice this. All her attention was captured by the woman's face, so enchanting and captivating it was.

"... Anata wa dare...?" The question left her lips in a voiceless whisper.

The woman didn't answer. Instead, her lips bent up into a thin smile as she gazed down at Chihiro with her thistle coloured gaze.

And while straing up at her, Chihiro wondered why her gaze seemed so sad... nearly painful. As if she were watching something fleeting... Like a fleeting wisteria tree...

And then she knew, without thinking, who this woman was.

"Fuji no Kami!" she said. "You are the Wisteria Goddess!"

This time, the lady's smile widened, her eyes narrowing. "Call me Fuji-hime, if you wish." Her voice sounded smooth and clear.

Taking this as a yes, Chihiro went on. "Where am I?"

"This is a different dimension, or better to say, the space in between two dimensions." Fuji-hime answered, then looked away from Chihiro for a split second, as if trying to recollect something. "Ah yes, I believe you humans call this the "Dream World"."

"The Dream World...?" Chihiro echoed, frowning. "How come? I thought I had entered that red tower building!"

Fuji-hime smiled. And despite the lovelyness of that smile, somehow, Chihiro felt that something hid beneath it. "Do you know what was chasing after you back on the fields?"

"Dog spirits." She answered automatically, and dread filled her again as she recalled. Why was she even asking? She was supposed to be the one who sent the Inugami after her in the first place!

But the deity's response made wiped her next thoughts completely off her mind.

"Wrong. They were Nue."

Chihiro made a start, blinking in confusion. "Nu... Nue!?"

"Sometimes called the japanese chimeras, the Nue have the power to transfer a person to another dimension."

It was such a plain explenation that it took Chihiro sometime to process the given information. She closed her eyes. Then,

"Now that you have brought here, in this Dream World, what do you intend do with me?" A good question indeed. Why was the Fuji-hime seeking her in the first place?

She looked up at the deity and gazed at her with straight, chocolate brown eyes. She surprised even herself with the steadiness of her voice, not a fraction of fear to be heared.

"What do you want from me, Fuji-hime?"

Silence followed as the goddess blinked in surprise. Then, to Chihiro's utter astonishment, she began to laugh.

"Oh, such a brave young human girl!" She finally said. She chuckled again. "Indeed, a _very_ brave one... Worthy enough for..."

The deity regarded Chihiro once more, her eyes full of enjoyment. Then, still floating, she neared towards Chihiro, and reached out for her with a slim, pale hand. The hand touched her cheek, frail and soft like a feather.

"But why, it was only to meet you, my dear!"

Chihiro blinked, staring at the now very close Fuji-hime. "To _meet_ me?"

She nodded promptly, smiling.

"Why?"

The smile that played upon Fuji-hime's lips became even more sweeter. She let her other hand trail down Chihiro, only to hover above her heart. "Because there is something special about you, Ogino Chihiro. Something which resides within here." And she tapped the spot softly with her index finger.

Her gaze went to meet her own, and Chihiro suddenly felt a shudder run down her spine as she saw the coldness that lied within those purple orbs. "Do you know what it is...?"

Not capable of looking away, she shook her head.

Seeing the sudden fear in her eyes, Fuji-hime smiled. But instead of answering her, she asked, "Tell me, why do you think your memor-"

But Fuji-hime's words died in her throat as the tip of sword came to rest gently at the side of her neck.

"Fuji-hime, would you mind releasing Chihiro?" Haku said cooly from behind.

* * *

"Haku!" His name escaped her lips before she knew it.

She managed to look over Fuji-hime's shoulder and saw Haku, standing a few feet away. His clothes were torn in places, his dark green hair hang loosely down from his shoulders, and he was covered from head to foot with scarlet blood.

Her heart made a jolt at the sight of him. Was he injured...?

"So, you finally came, Hakuryu? Come to save your precious human, have you?" Fuji-hime said, smirking, and turned to face Haku. "Though if I must be truthful, I thought it would have taken you much longer to enter here."

Now, it was Haku's turn to smirk. "Then I'm afraid you have understimated me, my lady. Clever of you, though, to use Nue to transport her into a realm in which even your weakened powers can be used. Yubaaba's attack was also a very clever decoy. I must admit, I would have done the same thing. Very clever, Fuji-hime. You have my compliments."

Chihiro frowned in hearing his words. Was he... _taunting_ her?

Then she felt a dull pain in her shoulder. Quickly, she looked down to see Fuji-hime's nails set deeply into the fabric of her uniform.

"But I'm afraid you won't be able to checkmate your little game, Fuji-hime." Haku continued, and his grip tightened on the katana he was holding. His voice dropped and became several tones darker. "Let go of Chihiro."

Fuji-hime smiled, her own grip tightened on Chihiro's shoulders so much that they began to hurt. "What if I refuse?"

Haku's eyes became even more darker. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you. This temporal world you have created won't last long, now that the Nue aren't there anymore to sustain it."

Chihiro followed Haku's gaze and, true to his words, saw that thin cracks had begun to appear above them, bringing bright light into the shadowed world.

Fuji-hime looked surprise for a moment, but then, her lips bent into a merciless smile. And then, Chihiro found herself flung out, pushed forwards with an unexpected force. She fell, but instead of hitting the floor, she was met with Haku's strong and warm arms as they circled around her, catching her.

"Chihiro!" Haku's voice, low and full of relief, breathed into her ear and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. Even in such circumstances, they were far too near each other. "Are you all right!? Are you hurt!?"

"I... I'm fine." She managed to utter, before stepping back from Haku's embrace.

But then, laughter reached their ears, and they both looked around to face a laughing Fuji-hime.

"How endearing!" The deity said, still laughing insanely. She looked straight at Chihiro. "But I wonder: Would you still trust that Dragon if you knew what he has done to you?"

She frowned. "What... do you mean?"

Smirk widening, Fuji-hime turned to Haku and tutted, as if scolding a young boy. "Tut tut, you should not keep such secrets, Haku-ryu."

Now Haku too was frowning, clearly not understanding what Fuji-hime was meaning. "What are you talking about? I have not done anything to her!" he said, truly bewildered.

But the deity was shaking her head, smiling. "Come, there is no further nead in hiding it, Haku-ryu. You know what you did."

Haku began to shake his head, frowing, confusement written all over his face.

"Enough!" He then said and met Fuji-hime's gaze. "We both it is not true."

Yet, she was still smiling.

"You're wrong." Her voice sounded only too gentle. "We both know that it _is_ true. We both know what you did."

Chihiro couldn't contain herself any longer. Seeing Haku's face contorting in such a way was more than she could bear.

"So, what did he do?" she said in a challening voice and, somewhere in her heart, she sincerely hoped that Fuji-hime would not answer.

To her heart's dismay, however, Fuji-hime answered her.

"But why," she said, fake surprise colouring her equally fake soft tone. "It was he who took away your memories, my dear!"

* * *

**Stay tuned! More to follow!^^**


End file.
